Travels of the Wind
by Chesinshi
Summary: Both the Valley and the land of Pejite have fully recovered from the Tolmekian invasion. A strange unknown sickness spreads across the kingdoms. Nausicaa and Asbel finally meet again, and set out together with a small party to search for a cure. REVIVED
1. The Festival

**A/N: Hello! Here's my shot at a Nausicaa fanfic; hope you like it! I considered writing a Spirited Away fanfic, but since Velf basically rules that fandom, I decided to write one for Nausicaa.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the movie by Miyazaki. I probably have only about an eighth of his imagination, at best!**

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><p>Chapter 1: The Festival<p>

There was not a single cloud hanging in the sky, just pure, clear air. The sun had not risen yet, but the sky had begun to change from dark to a chalky blue. Silhouettes of trees gradually appeared, and the Valley began to stir. The inhabitants were rising a bit earlier than normal, and a strange tingling sensation of excitement hovered in the air.

Up in a cozy-looking stone tower, a girl had just finished getting dressed. Walking towards the window, she took a panoramic view of the Valley, and let out a contented sigh. It was going to be a beautiful autumn morning. She daintily slipped into a pair of well-worn boots and turned to leave the room. As she placed her hand on the door knob, something caught her attention – a ball of fur lay curled up on the floor by her feet, soundly asleep. The girl bent down to run her hand along the side of the fuzzy mound; it stirred slightly.

"Teto," she whispered. The creature's ears drooped adorably on both sides of its head as a face and green eyes peered up sleepily at the young woman.

"I know, it's early. You don't have to come with me yet." She cooed.

Lazily the fur ball rose. The girl smiled lovingly as the fox squirrel lethargically climbed up her arm, stopped on her shoulder, hunkered down, and continued to snooze. She walked out the door and descended the stairs.

Outside, the people were up and busily working despite the early hour. Women were returning from luscious green fields carrying baskets bursting with fresh produce. Men helped their wives carry melons, fruits and vegetables of all sorts. All were making their way towards the center of the valley. Other women were hurrying across the fields clutching beautiful bouquets, their daughters skipping joyfully ahead of them. Two women stopped at a large and stately tree, and began to skillfully tie the flower onto the trunk. While they adorned the trees, others decorated doors and windows. Gradually the village began to light up; festive splashes of vivid red and orange appeared everywhere.

The girl, wearing a simple blue V-neck and pants, walked briskly through the village, admiring the activities of the people. Many greeted her with a cheerful "good morning", to which she always replied with an energetic "morning!" and a warm smile. She stopped in adoration of a bright yellow wreath presently being tied to the side of a large stone windmill. The workers, a kindly middle-aged woman and her ecstatic four year old daughter, noticed the girl.

"How does it look, Princess?" they inquired.

"Wonderful. I absolutely love it." The girl in blue enthused. Her effect on the pair was instantaneous; their faces lit up from her praise.

The princess continued her morning stroll, and a gentle breeze played with her distinctive auburn hair. Presently she emerged from the top of a hill and surveyed the sight before her. There, in the center of the Valley, lay a wide grassy courtyard. On regular days it was nothing more than a large flat plain, but today it was the center of commotion. To the far left, villagers deposited their abundance of fruits and vegetables at the door of a large stone building. The clang of pots and pans reverberated from what was apparently a kitchen, while the head chef shouted out orders loud enough to wake the dead.

Seeing the state of hectic in the kitchen, the princess decided to leave them to their business and headed to the right of the courtyard. Eight or nine men were transporting with considerable effort several sturdy wooden planks. One man followed the procession, carrying a ridiculously large hammer, and another guided the group to the exact placement of the posts. Meanwhile, two men hauled out a colossal handwoven tarp. The one overseeing the entire procedure wore a scruffy-looking mess of a beard and an old brown sunhat. The princess mused how the villagers could even hear the man's instructions which were spoken through his overgrown mustache.

"Morning Lord Yupa!" the girl chimed happily. Her voice floated above the low hum of the general commotion, and the bearded man lifted his head.

"Ahh, good morning Nausicaa. Ready for the Autumn Festival?" The man droned in a deep calm voice.

"Yes! The people have worked hard this year; they deserve a break." She declared, before bouncing up a ladder to tie a limp end of the tarp to the top of a post.

Excitement electrified the entire Valley; this was the first Autumn Festival hosted by the Valley of the Wind. Shortly after the incident of the Great Warrior and ohm stampede, Nausicaa had every intention of maintaining good relations with neighbors Tolmekians and Pejites. The Autumn Festival was the result of her ingenuity: a week-long festival, every other year, hosted by a different country each time. Every festival, the people would gather together, bringing in their harvests for a giant celebration to end the farming season. Food and merriment abound, singers and dancers entertain, children play together in their own activities, and all come to enjoy each other's company. If there ever was an excuse for outside travelers to play the role of tourists visiting the area, this Festival was the perfect reason. Wives exchange secret family recipes, explore dishes from fellow countries, and husbands discuss the either politics or the newest form of farming equipment. All would happily meet and greet each other; the Festival would be the peak of hospitability and amicability across nations on the smallest level.

Nausicaa passed by a nice-looking teenage boy about her age; the handsome lad gave a friendly smile and a greeting. The princess cheerfully replied, and continued walking. Suddenly she was reminded of another boy she hadn't seen in a while. Four years, to be exact, since she had last seen Asbel. She would have run into the dark haired, dark eyed boy at the last Autumn Festival over in Tolmekia. However, he had regrettably missed the last celebration on account of some issue regarding the materials for Pejite's outer wall. Both Nausicaa and Asbel had been incredibly busy rebuilding their land. Four years ago the ohm stampede had left Pejite in a spread of rubble, and the Valley of the Wind had also sustained significant damage in its towers, fields, and forests. Over time both kingdoms recovered and were flourishing once more.

This Autumn Festival she hadn't heard any news from him and assumed – no, counted upon his coming. In truth, they had become close friends, understanding each other far better than either were aware of. The two had faced similar hardships, both together and alone within their respective kingdoms. Nausicaa also secretly hoped to see him more frequently than every four years in the future. Her thoughts were drifting into some farfetched possibilities when Nausicaa suddenly realized what she was doing and quickly snapped herself out of her contemplation.

"_Stop it!"_ She mentally scolded herself.

"_Just keep him as a friend! Hopefully time hasn't distanced the two of you too much," _she thought. As if trying to run away from her thoughts, she picked up speed and sprinted to help fix a windmill.

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><p>"I can't believe I'm doing this." Nausicaa mumbled, slipping into a form fitting blue dress. The simple yet elegant article of clothing had a very sleek design, hugging her slim body then casually flowing down to her feet. The dress was quite beautiful and she liked it very much; however the fact that she was wearing an eyecatching dress did not help ease her qualms about a quick welcome address she was to give to open the festival.<p>

"Nervous about the speech?" asked a girl with her in Nausicaa's dressing room, helping her step into the outfit. The girl had dark hair in the form of a spiky pixie hair cut; she had square shoulders and a tall, lean form.

"I know it's just a few lines, but I'm worried anyway."

"Don't be; people will be too excited to listen. Besides, you've done plenty of other things that require at least twice the amount of courage. This shouldn't be hard." Nausicaa smiled. A memory flashed through her mind: she was calmly standing next to a bleeding baby ohm, feet firmly planted directly in the path of an unstoppable raging stampede. If her people weren't scared beyond words for their own lives they probably would have picked her up and sent her straight to a mental institution.

"Thanks, Tersa." She whispered, feeling slightly more confident, though still somewhat unsure.

"Anytime. Now walk out proudly before I transport you to the courtyard by force."

Nausicaa emitted a slight snort. Although her friend had a frightening outer demeanor and often spoke roughly, she had a kind heart deep beneath the layers of prickles and thorns. However, Tersa's words were not all empty threats. Nausicaa decided to take Tersa for her word, and walked toward the door. She inhaled deeply, and in one swift movement turned the door knob and confidently waltzed out to the courtyard.


	2. A Friendship Revived

**A/N: hello! Not much going on. Writing is more time consuming than I thought. I'm going to try to finish this before August 20th. I know it's ridiculous, but I'm gonna try. Enjoy!**

**Date: 8/11/11. Putting this here so you readers get an idea of how often I'm going to update.**

**Disclaimer: I love Miyazaki films, but don't own any of the characters. Wish I did!**

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><p>Chapter 2: A Friendship Revived<p>

The courtyard was buzzing with activity. A healthy crowd had gathered, busy enough to incite borderline claustrophobia, and more were streaming in from the main road. Night had fallen so the wind had turned slightly chilly, perfectly counteracting the extra body heat. Torches and lampposts were lit, casting a warm orange glow over the area. Nausicaa gracefully glided up a set of stairs onto a platform, where Lord Yupa and a couple other prominent members of the community awaited her. Lord Yupa smiled warmly, asking if she was ready to start. Nausicaa nodded; the dreadful feeling of nervousness resurfaced in the pit of her stomach. She calmly stepped forward to the edge of the platform; the crowd quieted. At the sudden escalation of attention Nausicaa almost lost her outer mask of calmness; too many people were staring at her! However, she caught sight of a couple villagers, and noticed many faces of kindly looking normal people. She immediately relaxed; Teto gently nudged her cheek in reassurance.

"_That's right; there's nothing to fear"_, she told herself. Holding her head a little higher, in a loud voice she confidently spoke.

"Welcome Tolmekians and Pejites! I can undoubtedly speak for the whole Valley that we are delighted to have you all here. It is an honor to host this Autumn Festival, and we could not be more thankful for your presence. I myself am incredibly excited. Without further ado, let the food and festivities begin."

The announcement was satisfactorily short and sweet and much easier than she had expected. She proceeded to the next step. Lord Yupa handed her a lighted torch, and she moved toward the right of the platform. She stopped a couple feet away from a huge bowl the size of a water basin, carved out of stone, resting upon a tall sturdy pedestal. The entire arrangement reached the height of her shoulder, visible to all the people. Presently she was joined by two familiar faces - Kushana and the Mayor of Pejite, each holding their own torches. The mayor gave her a warm smile and a quick wink, to which Nausicaa responded with a girlish smile. Kushana repositioned herself to be on Nausicaa's right.

"Dear girl, you've grown taller again." Kushana commented as she passed Nausicaa.

The trio majestically approached the stone bowl. It was filled halfway with oil, and in the center of the bowl stood a generous heaping of twigs. With one movement all three lifted their torches to light the Festival Torch; the single coordinated action symbolized the harmony amongst the three kingdoms. As soon as the torch was lit the crowds happily clapped and cheered. The sounds of merriment returned and the solemnity of the ceremony dissipated into the air. Tables were brought out; food was served. The Festival had begun.

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><p>"Nausicaa!"<p>

Nausicaa was taking a stroll through the streets of the Valley, observing the myriads of different booths and activities around her. Her dinner was remarkably entertaining with Kushana and Obaba; the two seemed to have more trouble holding a normal conversation than would a person using sign language with a blind man. She now walked arm in arm with Tersa, stretching her legs and getting some fresh air. Along the way she decided to keep an eye out for Asbel; all evening they hadn't run into each other yet. She was about to turn a corner when she heard a familiar voice: warm, low and smooth, with a carefree lilt. It was deeper than she last remembered. Wheeling around excitedly, she caught sight of Asbel making his way through the crowds towards her.

Her heart leaped. How long had it been since she last saw him? Too long obviously; four years was a long time. She hadn't realized until now just how much she had missed him. Much of him looked the same: scruffy looking hair, a firm jaw line, and deep-set dark brown eyes. However, something was different. He had lost his boyishness and had now grown taller, developed strong wide shoulders and a lean build. Nausicaa caught herself staring and quickly snapped out of it. Using a considerable amount of concentration, she worked hard to hide the slightest blush that only Tersa noticed.

"Asbel!" She smiled broadly. She had considered giving him a quick hug right there, but didn't know if the friendship was as close as it used to be. What if they found themselves to have changed greatly? She checked herself and chose to use her eyes instead to tell him how happy she was to see him.

"It's great to see you!" she beamed.

"Good to see you too! It's been a while." His eyes reflected the same ecstasy in seeing her. Noticing Tersa, he smiled warmly at the short haired girl and looked back at Nausicaa.

"Oh of course! You two haven't met. Asbel, this is Tersa; best friend and confident though she acts like my bodyguard. Tersa this is Asbel; close friend and partner in crime from the days of the Tolmekian invasion." The two politely greeted each other.

"You finished with dinner? I'm taking a short walk around the neighborhood." Nausicaa told him.

"Yes I'm stuffed! Probably need a bit of exercise to help with the digestion." He chuckled.

"Ever heard of appendicitis?" drawled Tersa with a smirk. Nausicaa laughed at Asbel's slightly agitated expression. She decided to help him out this time.

"You just met him and you're already picking on him? Remind me never to put you on any welcoming committee in the future." Nausicaa chided Tersa.

The three teenagers continued their walk around the area, enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds around them. Kids and adults alike were cheering, yelling, shouting, and laughing – basically fully enjoying themselves. In the eating area people were trying all sorts of desserts, while men were already passing a second round of alcoholic beverages.

"Hey Princess, care to join us?" asked a group of wild looking young men, drinks sloshing around in their mugs.

"No thank you. Glad you're enjoying yourselves!" She smiled politely.

As they passed by a more rowdy area of the courtyard, Nausicaa was somewhat surprised when she was greeted, called, waved at, and winked at. She decided to give them the benefit of doubt and credit it to the alcohol. The three of them had no desire to join the drinking festivities and felt slightly uncomfortable; even Tersa began sending death glares in every direction to ward off any potential accosters.

"Nausicaa, you look _amazing_ tonight in that dress of yours!" yelled a slightly intoxicated young man in a slightly suggestive tone. Asbel's eyebrows immediately shot upward; he instinctively took on a more protective stance, standing a little taller and closer to the princess.

"Thanks." She blandly replied and hurried onward. She was too preoccupied by the man's tone of voice to notice Asbel's change in behavior. They continued walking in silence for a couple minutes.

"Well, if this is what happens when you wear a dress, then I'm never wearing a dress again in my life." Nausicaa declared flatly, breaking the awkward silence.

Asbel laughed good-naturedly. Tersa's response, however, was much more down to business.

"Just say the word and I'll take care of it." She rumbled threateningly, hand already on her pistol.

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><p>The next day of the Festival was just as lively; events continued with the same vigor and excitement as the day before. She had breakfast with a couple new friends, lunch with Asbel and Tersa, and dinner with Lord Yupa. Throughout the day Nausicaa desperately tried to find the chance to talk with Asbel, just the two of them. She had hoped to find time to catch up with each other on - well, everything. It was easier said than done, in light of the hundreds of people everywhere and her role as the representative hostess. At the end of the day she felt slightly disappointed. The non-stop commotion was beginning to overwhelm her, and all she wanted to do at the moment was either sleep or talk with Asbel. She retreated to the top of a windmill overlooking the valley; up there she had more personal space than for the last 48 hours. She took a deep breath. Even the air felt cleaner.<p>

"Nausicaa, is that you?" someone shouted from below. Her mood brightened when she peered over the edge and saw Asbel standing on ground level looking up.

"Asbel! Want to join me?" she called.

"Sure!" He hollered delightedly and within a few minutes emerged from the hatchet on the rooftop. As soon as he seated himself comfortably next to Nausicaa he observed his surroundings. It was well into the evening; the sky had darkened. The valley was pitch black save for a couple torches here and there and the occasional lighted cottage. The day was drawing to a close as people headed back to their homes.

"Cool view. Is this your secret hideout?" He inquired.

"Yep. One of the very few places that I can get some peace and quiet." Nausicaa replied, then giggled. "I've even flown my glider off of here before, just for fun! Nearly crashed into that tree." She pointed toward a tall gnarled mass of foliage.

"You still fly that old thing?" He asked; the thought of her crashing into the tree played through his mind.

"Yeah. I've taught half the girls in the Valley how to ride it too. It's a good skill, in case you need to rescue the occasional silly boy that loses his way in the Toxic Jungle while being chased by hoards of insects." She mused casually.

"Hey! I only crashed into the Toxic Jungle because _you_ completely threw me off course by standing in my line of fire on that Tolmekian airship! Honestly, to this day I don't know what possessed you to do that… And don't forget I had to keep a death grip on you through that quick sand to make sure you didn't get hurt while you were unconscious. We took turns saving each other."

"Truce. That was so long ago." She sighed. Silence reigned for a few minutes as the pair enjoyed the peace of the night and the wind gently tugged at their clothes. Nausicaa spoke again.

"Anyways, how've you been? I've been trying to ask you that question for the last two days now."

"Oh, doing well. Pejite has been fully rebuilt for a while now; we're actually growing in terms of population and economy. What about you? Did you ever come up with a cure for the toxic spores?"

"The Valley is doing well. I did find the right formula for a cure; now I'm experimenting to find the right dosages." She was surprised he remembered that detail.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, being the meticulously observant person you are. Your father would be proud." Though he couldn't see it, she blushed at his compliment.

They continued to talk about anything and everything: life at home, special trips and adventures, strange encounters with insects, and the Toxic Jungle. It felt good to just chat with each other again. The ancient spark of friendship between them had never distinguished, but now it had been stoked up again into a strong flame. True, they had changed, grown older, and matured, but they still understood each other, got along extremely well, and enjoyed each other's sense of humor. Time flew by and soon two hours slipped away before their eyes. Presently the exhaustion began to noticeably build up for both of them, and the two decided to head back home. Together they descended the windmill, leaving their private rooftop world, and once again found themselves standing on the grassy path.

"Thank you for such a wonderful chat. I thoroughly enjoyed it." Nausicaa earnestly told Asbel.

"Me too. We should definitely stay in touch even after the Festival ends." Asbel responded.

"Absolutely. I'll chase you down in Pejite if you dare ignore me." She replied with an impish smile.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

They separated ways. Upon returning to their own homes, they noticed a deep feeling of contentment settling over them. It had turned out to be a good day after all. Sleep easily claimed them as both slept soundly through the night.


	3. The Realization

**A/N: Hello! I have to say that I had an incredible amount of fun writing this chapter; I was practically squealing with delight the whole way through. For you fluff addicts, this is just a taste of what's coming. We're finally starting to have some more action; it's just taken me a while to set things up. Enjoy! And reviews are appreciated. :)**

**Date: 8/12/11. On schedule!**

**Disclaimers: I don't own Nausicaa or Asbel. Tersa is mine, however.**

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><p>Chapter 3: The Realization<p>

Nausicaa stood there transfixed in fascination. What on earth were they doing? Ten minutes ago a small group of people, both young and old, broke off from the rest of the Festival crowds. They began to perform a strange dance, full of twists and gestures, while others clapped to steady the beat. The group automatically gained participants; musicians soon joined in, belting out joyful tunes from their instruments. The moment she walked by she had been frozen in wonder, watching the strange sight before her eyes. Asbel found her absolutely mesmerized amongst a crowd of onlookers.

"Ah, the Harvester's Dance." He remarked, coming to stand beside her.

"It has a name?" Asbel nodded. "You know what they're doing?" Nausicaa asked in surprise.

"It's a popular dance, even in the Valley. Surely you know this one?" She shook her head, tilting it slightly; the tiniest pucker appeared on her lips. Asbel was dumbfounded.

"Whatever happened your childhood! Do you want me to teach you?" He asked assertively. It was Nausicaa's turn to be shocked.

"Do you mind? I might cause you trouble; people might start - um, guessing things." She answered slowly, eyes skimming over the crowds.

"Let them guess. I don't mind as long as you don't mind. Besides, we want to keep the stalkers at bay." He insinuated as he glanced over Nausicaa's shoulder. With feigned disinterest, Nausicaa turned around and noticed a couple young lads eyeing her like she was some side course of a meal.

"Good point." She replied. Tersa, who had been silently standing next to Nausicaa the entire time, suddenly spoke up.

"Do you need me to come with you Princess?" Tersa asked.

"No, dear Tersa. Go find someone else to dance with; this one's been claimed." Nausicaa answered comically over her shoulder. Asbel let out an amused chuckle.

She followed Asbel out of the crowd of observers. A wave of self consciousness rushed over her; she couldn't remember the last time she had danced in front of others…

"Are you sure about this? I don't want to make you uncomfortable…"

"Nonsense. I used to do this with Lastelle all the time. By the way, does Tersa always stick to you like that?" Asbel inquired; out of the corner of his eye he noticed the tall girl standing uncomfortably rigid, a single island in a sea of merriment.

"Yes. Makes a wonderful friend; always there when you need her. She can also wield a gun better than any girl in the entire Valley."

He began to instruct her on the specific movements; she followed along and found herself doing a variety of twists and gestures, some of which undoubtedly resembled motions of harvesters. It was a very unique and lively dance; Nausicaa liked it very much. She was far from clumsy, learning the animated steps with ease and grace. When she had finally mastered all the steps, she gathered an air of confidence, and moved with incredible vitality. She was thoroughly enjoying herself when suddenly Asbel took her hand and slowly pulled her closer; an arm slipped around her waist.

"What-" She looked at Asbel, the question showing in her eyes.

"The dance of the farmer and his wife." He stated, smiling at her. She glanced around and noticed others pairing up as well.

"Oh." Was all she could say.

"_Well this is awkward" _a voice drawled in her head. She decided to keep that comment to herself.

The moment he touched her hand, her heart began to race. For one thing, it completely took her by surprise. But what surprised her even more was how gently he tugged at it, like he was pulling a child's hand. She had always known Asbel as the impulsive and fiercely protective type, but this was a side of him she'd never seen before. She observed him closely as they danced in silence, eyes locked on each other. His height was perfect for her as a dance partner – slightly taller than her; his face exhibited a calm, serene smile. His hair was hopeless – she chuckled inwardly; she couldn't remember a single day that it was not in a complete mess. But oh, his eyes! His eyes were the kind that would draw you in the moment you looked at him. Intense, deep-set eyes, enticingly dark hazel in color, reminded her of amber from ancient trees past. They emitted a warm fiery glow, bestowing upon him a mysterious, but not sinister, expression. Again she caught herself rudely staring and sheepishly looked away.

"_You're distracting yourself! Wake up and act normal."_ She snapped, inwardly cursing her feminine tendencies.

She had predicted this might happen, but didn't expect it to crash down upon her so soon, so quickly. Was it even humanly possible to fall for someone so fast? Then she realized that it wasn't fast; she had known him for quite a while now. When she met him four years ago she was too worried about the issues at hand; getting to know her companion was of the lowest priority. Things had changed now, and she found herself discovering so many interesting things about him that she couldn't help but feel drawn toward him. She wasn't one to stomp out her emotions, but she _was going to have to worry about living with them._

"_It's part of growing up, I guess"_ she told herself.

"_But it's so annoying!"_ another part of her whined. She desperately wished she could just erase all the side thoughts she was having and just keep a normal friendship with him.

Asbel was completely oblivious to her inner struggles, and had been enjoying the dance considerably. He did notice, however, that she became more uncomfortable at this last part of the dance, but he dismissed it on account of the new steps. From the moment she snatched him out of the jaws of the Toxic Jungle, he had already placed her in his heart as second Lastelle. Four years ago, losing his twin sister poured upon him unbearable agony, but having Nausicaa to look after greatly lessened his pain. She was very similar to Lastelle in many ways: sweet, youthful, and quirky; sometimes it hurt to watch her as it revived old memories. But she was also different from his departed sister; she radiated warmth while somehow having an aura of stature and wisdom that was unique to her. No matter what, he was glad to have her friendship, and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Presently the dance ended; partners bowed to each other and the crowd gradually dispersed. The two slowly drew away from each other.

"Thank you for teaching me; that was so much fun." She breathed gratefully.

"No, the pleasure is all mine." Asbel replied with exaggerated floweriness and a grin, bowing as he did so. Nausicaa giggled at his comical formality, if there ever was such a thing.

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><p>Asbel walked her back home, chatting all the way. The sun was setting behind them; a peaceful orange glow settled on the trees and path before them. The perpetual breeze flowed through the land, sending the slightest rustle through the shrubs and plants along the road. It then dawned upon them that today was the last day of the Festival.<p>

"So you will be heading back to Pejite tomorrow morning?" Nausicaa asked. They had now reached the front of Nausicaa's tower.

"Yes, along with hoards of other citizens. I'm not looking forward to the air traffic." Asbel answered flatly, frowning even at the thought of it.

"Be sure to fly safely. And keep in touch after that."

"Of course; I know you'll miss me terribly." He boasted cheekily. Nausicaa laughed.

"Not if you're always going to be this arrogant." Then, upon an impulse, Nausicaa threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. To her relief, he hugged her back. The embrace was kept short and sweet; she drew away quickly.

"But you're right, I am going to miss you. I'll probably be up to say good bye tomorrow morning. Good night, dear friend." She smiled.

"Good night." He replied, watching her skip up the steps and wave one last time to him before disappearing through the front door. He turned around and headed to his own home.

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><p>Nausicaa found Tersa waiting for her in Nausicaa's bedroom, curled up on a chair reading a book about developing long range accuracy on rifles. The girl was the daughter of a well-known, respected blacksmith who had also been a very close friend of Nausicaa's late father. The strange duo had grown especially close after the Tolmekian invasion; Nausicaa loved her for her "no-nonsense" personality and unfailing loyalty, while Tersa had always been intrigued by Nausicaa's strong connection with nature.<p>

"Hey." Nausicaa greeted Tersa upon entering the room.

"Hi." Tersa replied, her nose still buried in her book. Nausicaa walked toward the window and sighed; she recognized Asbel's figure making his way over a hill. Presently Tersa rose from her seat and joined Nausicaa. The sun was no longer visible over the horizon, but the sky was bursting with a glorious feast of red, orange, and purple hues.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Nausicaa breathed.

"Yeah. What are you thinking about?" Tersa inquired.

"Nothing much." She replied blankly.

"He's cute, isn't he?" She prodded, a knowing smile across her face.

"What? Oh…" Nausicaa stopped herself and looked down. "Was it that obvious?"

"Just to me; I know you well enough. If you like him you should tell him." Although Tersa carried herself with a most unfeminine sturdiness, she was surprisingly sensitive in matters of the heart.

"No, I don't want to scare him. And he's leaving tomorrow anyway." She remarked; Tersa laughed.

"He's not some nervous ohm; you can't scare him. If you never talk to him he'll never know. You can go fish him out of Pejite too, if you have to, before he gets married to some Pejite girl he doesn't like." she joked.

"But how do you know he likes me?" Nausicaa asked worriedly, still looking out over the Valley.

"I don't. But if you ever get the chance, observe him carefully; you might pick up clues." She hinted, then threw a sidelong glance to observe Nausicaa.

"Maybe." Nausicaa replied simply. But deep in her heart, she wasn't so sure.

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><p>"I'm afraid there's not much I can do," the kindly, white-haired stout man told him. Asbel and the aged physician stood in the hallway outside the Queen's bedroom in the Pejite palace.<p>

"So we don't even know how to treat her?"

"Unfortunately not. Your mother has a condition that I've never seen before in my 40 years as a doctor across these lands." Asbel looked worriedly in the direction of the bedroom. Her mother had been feeling sick for a while now and even had to miss the Festival. Originally she dismissed it as a cold, but when stranger symptoms such as wheezing and vomiting occurred, even Asbel became concerned. A month had passed now since the Festival; this was the third doctor they had consulted, and none of them had any idea what symptoms pointed to.

"Just keep her hydrated and let her rest. It looks like she's too weak to walk as well; better keep her in bed rest." The doctor finished.

"Allright; well, thank you doctor." Asbel responded earnestly, but the grim expression never left his face.

"An honor, dear Prince. I apologize that I can be of no more help to you." The doctor gave a shallow bow and left.

Asbel entered his mother's room; it was furnished with elegant tapestries, a detailed hand-woven carpet, an overstuffed velvet chair, and a stylish carved table. On the far end of the room was a window, overlooking the rest of Pejite.

"So the doctor doesn't know what it is, huh?" his mother wheezed, resting on the bed, a thick quilt drawn up to her middle.

"Nope." He replied, with lips pursed into a thin line. He knew she would be able to hear the doctor's diagnosis from inside the room. There was no point in trying to keep the information from her anyway. No one knew what it was yet, so there was nothing to fear – yet. Asbel rearranged things around the room and opened the blinds. A bit of sunshine wouldn't hurt. Would it? He hated not knowing what to do or how to help his ailing mother. He clenched his fists in frustration. Why was there no information about this disease? He had to search for a cure; he was not going to sit there watch his mother waste away to an unknown sickness. Consultations with doctors had been entirely unproductive. He decided to go to the one person whose ability he fully trusted, the one person he just might receive help from.

"Mother, I'll be gone for about two days." A trip to the Valley took a little less than a day.

"Where to?" His mother croaked.

"Somewhere I hope to find more information about this weird sickness of yours; I've had enough of unhelpful doctors." He answered irritably.

"You're probably going to the Valley, aren't you? Good choice. That Nausicaa girl probably knows more about the world around her than all the doctors in Pejite combined." The woman chuckled. At least her sense of humor and wit was unaffected.

"Go, dear son. I'm tired of sitting in this bed all day." She said, and then launched into a fit of wheezes and coughs.

Asbel left immediately; he had done his share of waiting around. In an angry flurry he jumped on the first glider he saw and rushed toward the Valley.

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><p><strong>AN: Liked it? Thanks so much for reading, and drop a review if you have time.**


	4. The Mission and the Angel

**Author's Notes: Hi everyone! Here's chapter 4. It took me a bit longer to crank this one out, sorry. And I do intend to finish this story... just expect updates to be a lot less frequent after 8/20. Enjoy!**

**Date: 8/17/11**

**Disclaimers: I don't own the movie or the manga; just a HUGE fan who found need of a good Nausicaa fanfic; hope I'm addressing that need adequately. :) **

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><p>Chapter 4: The Mission and the Angel<p>

Something was coming. Nausicaa's sensitive ears heard the faint sound of a flying craft of some sort; even the wind exhibited a sense of expectancy, tugging nervously at her hair. It was late in the afternoon; she squinted against the waning sunlight and noticed a small glider entering the Valley. After hastily climbing down from the top of a windmill, the girl reached the stretch of land just as the glider touched the ground and heavily dragged to a halt. A young man emerged from the glider, still wearing his hat and mask but Nausicaa instantly recognized him, overjoyed by his surprise visit. However, her joy quickly subsided when she looked into his eyes; she could already tell something was wrong. His hair was messy beyond redemption, and his whole frame exhibited weariness and worry. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. Anxiety immediately flooded Nausicaa's soul as she ran towards him.

"Asbel!" she cried when she reached him. She unconsciously snatched his hands and noticed they were shaking. Gazing concernedly into his eyes, she detected unrest bubbling vigorously in those hazel depths.

"Quickly; inside." She instructed urgently. As if afraid he would drop unconscious any minute, she looped an arm through his and walked with him into her home. After crossing through the front door, she ordered him to sit down while she headed towards the kitchen. No sooner had he sat down than he opened his mouth.

"Nausicaa-" he was abruptly cut off by the princess, who was now pulling a cup out of a drawer.

"No talking until you drink something. You look like you ran your way here through the desert from Pejite." She returned with a steaming cup of light brown liquid.

"It's catnip tea; calms your nerves and gives you a bit more strength. Careful, it's hot." She spoke gently, carefully handing the cup to Asbel. Feeling too mentally fatigued to object, he received the cup and took several gulps in silence.

Nausicaa slowly lowered herself into the chair across from him, waiting until he finished.

"Now, tell me what's happening." She said, after he had a couple moments to calm himself; her quite brown eyes gazed firmly into his. By this time the two were joined by Lord Yupa, Obaba, and Tersa.

"Mother's sick." He began.

"Sick?" Nausicaa gave a surprised frown. The full-figured woman she remembered as Asbel's mother was far from frail.

"The doctors don't know what it is – they've never seen it before."

"What are the symptoms?" she asked, still listening intently.

"It started out as a simple fever, about a month ago. We thought she would recover after a few days, but two weeks passed and she did not improve; in fact she grew weaker. Not long after that she started vomiting, and lost her appetite. Her pulse is abnormally rapid; her face is pale and unnaturally yellow.

"Is there any wheezing?" Nausicaa interrupted, sitting on the edge of her chair.

"Yes." His eyes were intensely fixated on her; the level of anxiety surging through him nearly tripled. Horror visibly washed over her countenance, as if her worst fears had been realized.

"It's reached Pejite." she breathed, and looked at Lord Yupa worriedly.

"What is it?" Asbel gasped.

"An old disease that's visited the Valley before, some 10 years ago." Lord Yupa pronounced gravely. "Cases were rare, then disappeared completely when we started using the pure water filtered by the underground sand of the Toxic Jungle. We've never seen it since – until this last week."

"Someone else in the Valley has gotten sick?"

"A young child and an elderly man." Lord Yupa replied.

"Do you have a cure?" continued Asbel.

"No. It came and slipped away so quickly that we did not have enough time to find a cause or a cure." Nausicaa answered.

"Is it contagious?" Asbel pressed.

"We don't know." Nausicaa breathed wearily.

Asbel's heart sank. He was relieved that the sickness was not entirely unknown on the face of the earth. But what if it was contagious? What if it would rampage through all of Pejite?

"What happened to the victims?" He blurted, and saw Nausicaa flinch at the question. He feared what she would say, but was determined not to back down and braved himself to what he might hear. Fiery hazel eyes stared expectantly at hesitant dark brown eyes. Silence passed between them.

"They don't survive." She whispered.

His mind froze. _So it was fatal._ Those words echoed through his head, shaking him to his very core. He felt helpless in the face of pain; as if someone locked him into a pitch black corridor and struck a massive bell repeatedly as the deafening sound crashed in his ears mercilessly. There was no way of escape; all you could do was sit there in the unrelenting noise. He wasn't one to succumb to self pity, however; there was a problem in front of him, and he was going to face it.

"How much time do I have?" he demanded.

"About one month."

"We have to find a cure. Not just for my mother; for the sake of the Valley and the people in Pejite. It could be contagious; I will not allow us to be helplessly plunged into an epidemic." A steely resolve began to build within him.

"I'll look in my lab for possibilities." Nausicaa stated.

"We will need a cure sooner if we want to save those that are sick right now." Lord Yupa answered grimly.

"You should go visit Healer Kerlin." Croaked Obaba.

"Who is that?" Asbel frowned.

"A very renowned doctor who is familiar with every sickness and cure known to mankind. Some forty years ago he disappeared and people thought he had died; however he was recently discovered to be living in a small secluded hut located miles away from the nearest town."

"Where can we find him?" Nausicaa asked.

"Belden Swamp, on the other end of the Toxic Jungle. In light of your situation, it looks like he may be the only person able to help you." Obaba uttered slowly and calmly.

"Then we'll set out to find him. Lord Yupa, will you come with us?" Nausicaa turned to the bearded old man.

"Most certainly, Nausicaa."

"Thank you. Gather a small party to go with us; I'm sure Mito will want to join us as well. See if Jack is willing to come along - we'll need his piloting skills. And Tersa?"

"Don't even think about going without me, Nausicaa. Lord Yupa may be the best swordsman on the face of the earth, but you'll need someone who can shoot a gun in her sleep." The girl practically barked; Nausicaa smiled. Tersa's devotion was second to none in the Valley.

"I'm returning to Pejite to inform the Palace of my plans, and to check on my mother one more time. Thank you all for your willingness to help." Asbel stated, already heading toward the door.

"Right now? It's already dark, and you look exhausted. You can stay here for the night, then leave tomorrow as early as you like. We'll set out as soon as you return from Pejite." Nausicaa reasoned. Asbel didn't actually feel tired until Nausicaa mentioned it. But without warning, exhaustion swept over him and he decided to follow her advice.

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><p>Each returned to his own home, while Nausicaa and Asbel stayed inside. They were spreading out a couple of blankets for Asbel's makeshift bed when she noticed a tiny streak of a blood stain on his sleeve.<p>

"What happened to your arm?" she inquired, worry spreading across her features.

"What? Oh it's nothing." He gave it a quick glance, then looked away immediately. She saw right through his pretense, however.

"Let me see it." She demanded firmly.

He frowned at her, then reluctantly pulled his hand away, revealing a long ugly gash down his forearm. She gasped in horror; it was swelling, and blood caked along the wound.

"Don't tell me you did that on purpose!" she screamed.

"No, not intentionally," He responded coolly. "Can't even remember exactly how I got it. Probably happened while I was jumping onto the glider."

"You need to stop being so careless!" She barked. "Now sit down."

"I'm fine really; it'll heal." He retorted, pulling away.

"No, you're not fine, and you're not going anywhere until I at least get a bandage on it." She ordered, already marching toward the medicine cabinet on the other side of the room.

A very sullen expression settled on his face as she brought a wooden box over and carefully pulled his arm towards her. She opened a strange looking bottle and poured out some viscous yellow liquid, then gently dabbed the liquid onto the cut. It stung painfully and he instinctively snatched his arm away.

"You're trying to kill me!" He snapped.

"It's chiko oil – fights the infection so you can heal faster. Now hold still or we'll both be stuck in here for the next hour." She chuckled.

"I could have done it myself." He grumbled, but remained still. He didn't notice the slight smile on her face or the twinkle in her eyes.

A couple minutes later she finished wrapping the dressing over the wound. She was skilled at healing wounds; the bandage firmly protected the cut but did not cut off circulation. She had an aptitude for taking care of others - both humans and insects. Taking a step backwards, she admired her handiwork: an unamused Asbel blankly staring at his arm. A very motherly love rushed through her blood; she brought her hand to rest gently on the bandage. Startled by the action, Asbel looked up nervously. He could almost swear he saw something flicker in those dark brown depths; he recalled seeing a similar gaze back at the Festival during the dance. He stared back searchingly at her, wondering if he really saw a tint of – could it be?

She sensed his nervousness and decided to back off.

"Please be more careful." She whispered. A soft smile touched her lips; Asbel noted her nearly angelic expression radiating from her smile, touch, and gaze.

The cut began healing at an astonishing pace; within hours the swelling had stopped and a healthy-looking scab appeared. Asbel was completely surprised by how fast it was improving. Perhaps there was such a thing as being touched by an angel after all.

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><p>"Mom, I'm going to find a cure for you; just wait." He declared resolutely. Asbel stood over his mother, checking her pulse; it was still ridiculously rapid.<p>

"Ehh, don't worry about me; it is you that needs to be careful. Your mother's stronger than you think; I don't think it's time for me to go just yet. Besides, I want to see my grandchildren before I die." she chuckled.

"Grandchildren can come later. Right now you need to get better from this ridiculous sickness." Asbel chided. He rattled out a list of instructions lengthy enough to give the servants a headache, then headed toward the Valley. After he left the room, Asbel's mother let out a deep sigh.

"Well, later is better than never." She told herself, then flipped open a book.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Hopefully the plot hasn't gotten too cheesy... And another thank you to my reviewers Sylvia45 and Nami-chaan! <strong>


	5. Hidden Meanings

**Author's Notes: Hello y'all! Yes I'm finally updating. This chapter is a semi-filler... things are about to get interesting. Thank you all for reading and drop a review if you have time. As you might have guessed, the updates are less frequent because school has started. (I shall leave you to guess the what and where... haha) But I had most of this written out and I wanted to send this out as soon as possible. I'm estimating chapter six will be in 2 weeks, maybe later.**

**Date: 8/29/11**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Nausicaa and Asbel, but I am now the proud creator of 2 new characters. Yay! :) Enjoy. **

Chapter 5: Hidden Meanings

By the time Asbel returned to the Valley, he found a small airship waiting for him; people were hurriedly carrying the last of the supplies onto the ship. He immediately recognized Nausicaa, looking fresh as the morning sunshine, ducking into and out of the craft, making sure things were going as planned. As he approached, Nausicaa noticed him and smiled.

"Perfect timing." She chirped; it was early in the afternoon. He followed her into the airship, where he was greeted by Lord Yupa, Tersa, Mito, and a couple other people he didn't recognize. Altogether it was a group of about ten people; small enough to avoid turning it into a giant expedition but large enough to have different people handling different tasks in times of need or emergency. As soon as supplies and fuel were loaded, the party set out upon their journey. A few hours into flying and adjusting to the new living spaces, all sat down in the center cabin to discuss and be informed on the specifics of the expedition.

"It'll take us a little over a week to reach Belden Swamp; after that we may need more time to find the hut." Lord Yupa explained.

"Definitely; I've been in that area before and never noticed a human home of any sort." Answered a sprightly young man. His eyes were of the most startling bright blue, and he had an exceptionally boyish smile. If it wasn't for his height, mature build, and his evident experience with the inner workings of the Jungle, Asbel might have placed him among the twelve year old youngsters found running through the streets of Pejite.

"Just concentrate on piloting the airship through the trees, Jack - the swamp is situated in some of the densest parts of the forest." The boy nodded; Lord Yupa continued. "Nausicaa probably has the best eyesight of us all anyway."

"I'll be extra alert when we get nearer to the swamp." The Princess responded.

After fifteen more minutes of figuring out minute details, the crew dispersed to execute their designated tasks. Asbel himself was about to leave the room when out of the corner of his eye he noticed the young pilot walking towards him. The boy approached and with a genuine smile held out his hand.

"So you're Asbel, right? I'm Jack. Glad to finally meet you; Nausicaa's told me all about you." Asbel wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Are you familiar with piloting an airship?" Asbel answered in the affirmative.

"Good; I might need your help if we hit any storms."

"Sure; I'd love to help." Asbel cordially replied. Presently Nausicaa waltzed into the conversation.

"Oh good, you two finally met each other. Jack went on an expedition to study the insects of the Toxic Jungle instead of attending the Festival, else you two probably would have run into each other by now. He might not admit it Asbel, but he's one of the best pilots in the Valley." She informed, giving Jack a healthy mini-fist on the side of his shoulder. The boy gave her a quizzical look; a quirk appeared on his lips.

"Don't inflate my ego to gigantic proportions and then scold me about it later, Nausicaa." Jack drawled.

"I won't; because you're also terribly reckless." She reproached, balancing out the praise she just gave him.

"I am not reckless!" He retorted emphatically.

"Not reckless? Remember the time you got stranded in the middle of the Toxic Jungle after running out of fuel? I had to start a search party for you; who in their right mind does not check their fuel gage before leaving on a trip?"

"I did check my fuel gage; I would have had enough if it wasn't for the blasted wind going against me." He insisted; Nausicaa scoffed.

"Wind! You have to have wind in order to fly, you moron! You scared the living daylights out of me! Whoever taught you to fly was either careless beyond words for never impressing that fact into your thick head, or you were a complete numbskull for never absorbing it."

Jack gave Nausicaa a blank stare, and then shrugged his shoulders in defeat. Nausicaa launched into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, partly over Jack's response and partly over her own rant. The entire time Asbel had just stood there mutely watching the two hurl insults at each other; it was quite entertaining actually. He would have laughed with them if he wasn't so disturbed by the level of fondness he noticed between the two. Finally Nausicaa noticed Asbel's presence.

"Poor Asbel is getting completely left out! Sorry Asbel; we've just known each other since we were kids, so you'll be seeing a lot of bickering around here. Other than being a complete idiot sometimes, he's really a great person. I think you the two of you will get along really well." She chimed. Asbel smiled back; he took the opportunity to throw out a witty comment of his own.

"At least I know that I'm not the only one having trouble winning arguments against you." He smirked; Jack laughed.

Over the next few days Asbel found himself carefully watching the interactions between the two of them. They seemed more like brother and sister than a couple. He knew he really shouldn't mind Nausicaa's friend, but it just felt strange having to share her with another boy of his age. He was surprised to discover a bit of possessiveness lurking deep within him; he had to constantly remind himself that Nausicaa wasn't really his to begin with to prevent too much of his "territoriality" from showing. He would have to settle with keeping her as a sister for now. Although he still occasionally felt irked from the clever, sharp-tongued conversations bouncing between the two, he managed to curb the emotion. He wondered if Tersa had noticed, however; that girl was constantly watching him and wearing the strangest smirk on her face.

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><p>Asbel sighed to himself; he stood alone in a small room on the side of the ship, staring out a large window. He watched the trees of the Toxic Jungle sneak sluggishly beneath him. After a couple days of the expedition, he wasn't feeling so powerless. Indeed, he was relieved to be able to take action – at least attempt to solve a serious issue standing in the way of two thriving kingdoms. Whatever this sickness was, he would do all he could to stop it. The Valley and Pejite had both endured too much, survived through too many things to be obliterated from mankind on account of one little disease.<p>

Thinking about the present hardships would always eventually sour his mood, so he was glad to have Nausicaa and Jack around. He envied them; those two had endless ways to keep their spirits up. They weren't childish – avoiding reality was the last thing they would do, but they were aware of everything around them and somehow remained optimistic. He was currently mired in another round of depressing thoughts when he heard someone walk into the room.

"You doing allright?" Nausicaa asked; her sweet voice, laced with a bit of concern, filled his ears.

"Yeah; just worried." He breathed.

"Mmm, I can tell. It's like there's a raincloud above you." She smiled; even that was an understatement.

"_More like a monsoon cloud." _She giggled inwardly; but she quickly turned serious as well.

"Asbel, remember that you're not facing this alone. There are ten of us with you; and we are going to find a cure. I will personally see to that." She spoke gently but Asbel could hear a rock-solid determination underneath it.

"Thank you." He replied. The two stood silently for a moment, watching the sky pass them. Presently Nausicaa spoke again.

"Hey Asbel, are we…" she paused, as if trying to find the right words. "Are we, close?" She immediately noticed how vague that sounded, and quickly explained. "I mean, are we close friends?" She corrected.

"Of course!" Asbel had no idea why she would ask such a strange question or where she was going with it.

"As in brother and sister? Or…" she timidly prodded. Asbel did not notice the slight hint at the end of her question, and plowed ahead without hesitation.

"Absolutely! You're as close to me as Lastelle ever was! Why do you even need to ask?" He returned, a little confused.

"Nothing, just checking." Was the cryptic reply. Worry filled Asbel's spirit when he saw raw disappointment flicker in her eyes; the emotion quickly disappeared and a blank expression settled over her. After a brief moment of silence she mumbled something about going to help Lord Yupa and left the room, leaving Asbel to immediately start contemplating.

_What a weird question to ask; and she was so timid about it. What was she trying to… wait – what?_

Could it be? Underneath the simple question, lay an all-important question, the real one she was trying to ask? And he completely missed it? He couldn't believe how imperceptive he was. But could it really be possible? He had just begun to discover his own emotions about her, but did she feel the same way? He honestly was not so sure.

_No, that's not what she was asking… I really hope not. Was it? _

No, that wasn't – couldn't possibly have been what she was trying to ask. He dissuaded himself and pretended that it never happened, making himself feel a little better. He was going to dismiss it completely and assume he was reading too deeply into her words. But deep within him, the tiniest bit of apprehension remained.

"I really hope I didn't hurt you. You need to stop speaking in codes so I can figure what you're asking in the first place!" He hissed under his breath.

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><p>"Well hello." Jack spoke cheerfully as Asbel walked into the pilot's room. The Pejite prince hadn't seen Nausicaa all day, and was starting to run out of ways to keep himself occupied. On a whim he chose to check in on the man in the pilot's cabin.<p>

"Hi. Need any help?" Asbel offered.

"No, but you're welcome to hang around for a bit. Even a pilot can become bored occasionally." The aviator replied. Asbel pulled up an extra chair and plopped down.

"Have you seen Nausicaa?" Asbel asked; once the question left his lips he wondered whether that was the best subject to start the conversation on.

"Not yet. You should try the deck; she likes being outside." Jack confidently declared. Asbel nodded, and silence followed.

"We're not together, in case you were wondering." Jack randomly blurted. Asbel nodded; the boy had already guessed that much, but was glad to have a confirmation from him.

"Good to know…" the Pejite absent-mindedly murmured, not knowing what else to say. Another strange silence ensued; Asbel wondered if all people living in the Valley were this candid.

"As much as I would like to be…" Jack eventually sighed wistfully. His companion frowned, catching the slight longing in his voice.

"You mean you've tried?" Asbel asked cautiously.

"Yep. But she's absolutely set on keeping me as a brother; she won't have it any other way." Jack declared, somewhat defeated. Asbel felt sympathy for his friend. He was such a lively, nice-looking young man that probably had plenty of girls drooling at his feet – and for reasons unknown to the world was rejected by the one girl he did like. And after that, he couldn't hate the girl for rejecting him either! That one girl remained so unfailingly caring and affectionate to all that no human being could possibly act maliciously towards her. Why did falling in love have to involve so many risks of getting hurt…

"In the end, I'm content with what I have. She's probably the best sister anyone could ever have." He stated with a serene smile. He then turned to Asbel in preparation for his next words.

"I think she likes you though."

"What?" Asbel yelped, not really believing his ears.

"Yeah; I know her well. If you ever end up with her, take good care of her; she deserves it." He urged authoritatively.

"Yes." The prince sighed uncertainly, looking out the window.

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><p>Asbel sat down and exhaled deeply. His mind was completely occupied with all the previous events of the last two days. If anything, the conversation with Jack had just made things more complicated. Given the information he had, Asbel more than feared that Nausicaa was hinting something. He sat in solitude, brooding under the moonlight on the left deck.<p>

"Could she really-?" Shocked to hear himself out loud, he whipped around to make sure no one was watching. Luckily the place was empty.

_She has been so kind! That much is clear. But is she naturally that motherly to everyone? Maybe you're confusing love with an instinctive trait. Perhaps you're reading too much into her actions. She treats her people with the same love; she's just a very caring person. Yes, that must be it. _The voice in his head persuaded.

"You've been assuming too much, idiot." He scolded himself.

_But what about the expressions on her face? And the strange questions? Don't tell me all that was nothing important! _He was exhausted from having to guess at these things; he really needed to have better perceptiveness.

"I wish she'd just tell me! She's been sidestepping around everything way too carefully!" He grunted in frustration.

"Hasn't she given you enough hints?" chimed an unknown female voice behind him. He jerked around to see Tersa walking towards him. Asbel groaned inwardly. _Exactly how much has she heard? _ He decided to remain silent and glared at her.

"You really are quite blind!" she exclaimed in response to his withdrawn state.

"What do you mean?" He snarled, angry over the intrusion of privacy.

"She loves you, you fool! But she's afraid of your response, so she's been curbing her affections for the last month! But isn't it obvious, from what she does show?"

"I can't tell! What if she is simply this caring to every person she meets? She has such a loving personality that I can't tell anymore! And then there's Jack; they seem like they would go well together. I don't want to mess that up!" He yelled back bitterly.

"You can't tell or you won't believe it? There's no way you can't notice it! Do you think she even had to come on this trip? She could have sent someone else and stayed in the Valley with her people, where her duty lies – she didn't have to come with you! But she wanted to, just to be by your side. She constantly keeps an eye on you, checking to see if you need anything. Some nights she even walks by your room to make sure you're not having trouble sleeping!" Asbel blinked in surprise.

Really? She kept an eye on his room? On first thought that actually seemed a bit creepy, but it also made him feel quite… loved. But alas, he had no idea. Tersa continued her ranting.

"…and you just sit there watching her! Your passiveness is absolutely killing her!"

"Tersa!" Cried another voice. Though it was more high-pitched and desperate than normal, Asbel immediately recognized it.

Nausicaa emerged from the doorway. Concern was etched across her exquisite features; her brown eyes were alight with emotion. She glanced uncertainly at Asbel, then looked back at Tersa.

"Don't push him." She breathed wearily.

"He has a right to know what you've done for him!" shrieked the girl.

"The information is burdening him. Leave him be." She calmly ordered.

She gave one last look at Asbel. Their eyes met; Asbel's heart stilled in his chest. Her eyes were full of concern, but underneath lay such a strong feeling of longing that Asbel realized how much he hadn't noticed. They weren't angry; just achingly calm. Nausicaa immediately looked away and turned to leave. A fuming Tersa remained behind, waiting until Nausicaa's figure disappeared. Presently she turned to face Asbel.

"And she's still worried about you! What more of a confirmation do you need? You're both hopeless!" She hissed under her breath, throwing an arm in the direction Nausicaa had disappeared. She stormed off, leaving a very confused and shocked Asbel alone on the balcony.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! And keep an eye out for chapter 6. every once in a while I might have updates on my profile, so you can check there too. <strong>


	6. A Visit to the Doctor

**A/N: Hello there! So glad to be publishing another chapter! Sorry this took me a while, but here it is. I've already started working on the next chapter... maybe I'll set Thanksgiving as my deadline to crank out Chapter 7? :)**

**Date: 11/2/11 *sigh... better late than never, right?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Miyazaki's characters... but I am definitely being creative and coming up with my own.**

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><p>Chapter 6: A Visit to the Doctor<p>

She still acted normal, spoke in her usual kind and composed manner, but Asbel could tell something was missing. It was as if somewhere, deep down in the very pit of her soul, a tiny light had gone out. It was practically imperceptible to everyone else on the ship, but Asbel did not need to think twice about what or why. He knew he had hurt her – unintentionally of course - from last night. She was just hiding it well, drawing upon her vast reservoir of inner strength. Asbel regretted the entire situation; if only he hadn't been so idiotic in the first place he could have picked up on the hints and responded to her so much sooner!

All morning she hadn't really said a word to him other than a short greeting. He couldn't sense any bitterness in her, but she had become very… distant. After a couple hours of being ignored Asbel just couldn't stand it anymore; he was in absolute torture and didn't care if Nausicaa was enjoying it or not. After watching her calmly leave the kitchen after lunch he worriedly ran after her.

"Nausicaa!" The girl turned around in the hallway.

"Asbel. Can I help you with something?" She asked in a cheerful yet business-like manner. Asbel cringed; the tone was so chilly compared to her usual warmth.

"Please, stop this!" He pleaded with her. Nausicaa became concerned.

"Stop what?"

"You're completely avoiding me! It's like you've closed the door, and shut yourself inside! What are you doing?" Despair flashed across her face; she looked like she was being torn in two.

"I thought - I was just trying to give you some room. I realize I've been bothering you too much. I don't want to trouble you, so I'm giving you some more space to breathe…" Asbel panicked. The relationship between them was quickly disintegrating; he had to act now.

"No... don't; please don't. Does this have anything to do with last night?" Nausicaa looked away, unable to answer him. His heart sank. So the damage had been done.

"Don't change _anything_ that you've been doing. Don't change any part of yourself for me – just stay the way you are. I've just – I've been blind. Until last night I really never noticed it, and I should have - but I was so stupid! It just suddenly came so fast… I didn't even know, and didn't know how to respond… I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you. I think I just need some room…" He stuttered to a halt.

"Isn't that what I just said?" Nausicaa frowned, staring sternly at him.

"Yes – I mean no… not the way you meant…" Asbel grunted, then sighed and looked down. He mentally slapped himself; things were getting worse.

"You're being so confusing Asbel!" Nausicaa snapped.

"I know! I know…" He answered frantically, his hands waving wildly in the air. "I feel confused… just - give me some time please?" Nausicaa could not help the slight tug at the corners of her mouth; she already felt herself warming towards him again. Why did he always have to be so adorable?

"Allright." She sighed wearily; then playfully jabbed him in the ribs. "You're making my life thoroughly miserable." She grunted. Upon looking up at him she practically died when she saw the apologetic expression outpouring from his earnest hazel eyes. They were almost glowing, dancing lively, and gazing deeply back at her. She could see a wave of relief wash through the fiery brown.

"Just don't make a habit of it." She whispered once she found her voice. Treating him to a long-suffering smile, she turned and continued down the hallway.

Asbel watched her disappear, then heaved a humongous sigh.

"Are all women this difficult?" He mumbled.

* * *

><p>Tension began to build as they neared Belden Swamp. Asbel had just finished helping the crew with some daily tasks when he noticed out the window a vast stretch of mud, dotted with dense clusters of sinister-looking trees. It was a depressing sight; he lost his appetite after a single glance. He stood in silence in front of the window, confronted with a giant glob of dull gray.<p>

"There it is." Nausicaa breathed solemnly. He had no idea when she walked in, but didn't mind her presence. He loved listening to the soothing tone of her voice whenever he felt burdened. Eventually an ominous feeling settled over both of them; they were nearing their destination.

The two headed towards the pilot's room, where other crew members were congregating. Silence reigned over the gathering until Tersa raised a question.

"Are we landing now and then sending out a search party?"

"No; the swamp is too large to trek on foot. We have enough fuel to fly around for a few hours, then land nearby once we've found it." Jack answered.

The next two hours were spent scanning the swamp for signs of human life. It was a strenuous task due to the dense clusters of foliage obscuring their view. The entire crew stopped their work to contribute to the search. In the third hour of searching the landscape, their efforts were rewarded; Nausicaa spotted a tiny brown mound, situated by a thicket of trees.

"I'm pretty sure that's Kerlin's home." Nausicaa spoke firmly, eyes fixed intently on the brown dot.

"It has to be – I can't imagine anyone that'd purposely pick this isolated location as a place to live." grumbled an exhausted Jack.

They landed at the edge of the swamp, as close to the hut as possible. To their dismay Kerlin lived quite a ways into the swamp; they would have to do a good deal of walking in the mud. A couple crew members stayed behind to keep an eye on the airship while Nausicaa, Asbel, Lord Yupa, and Tersa set out to find the healer. Jack had wanted to come, but Nausicaa would not allow it; she ordered him to get some rest because the intensive flying had noticeably fatigued him.

"But I want to come; I could help." He half whined at her.

"No. Flying through those trees is not an easy task and I can tell you're exhausted. Go and get some sleep; you've already helped enough for today." She spoke gently but carried a tone of authority that he couldn't contradict.

"Aagh, fine. But be careful. I _will_ come out to look for you if you don't return in a couple days." He stifled a yawn before heading to his room.

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><p>Trudging through the mud was incredibly unpleasant. The group felt like they were dragging their feet with weights strapped onto their legs; they never seemed to make any progress. After a couple hours they completely gave up trying to keep their clothes relatively clean - it was impossible not to get spattered with the muck. Asbel was constantly worrying about the outcome of this journey: would Kerlin have the answers he seeked? How much longer before he gets a tangible cure in his hands? All his contemplation meant he wasn't concentrating on wading through the marsh before him; in fact he had slipped multiple times in the first two hours. After another dramatic fall, Nausicaa finally rebuked him.<p>

"Stop thinking so much Asbel and just concentrate on getting through the swamp!" she snapped at him. "You're not going to find a cure if you can't make it through one silly marsh." She declared.

Her statement definitely startled him from his musing. How did she manage to always be so reasonable and level-headed? What scared him the most was how well she knew him. She always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking – it was quite intimidating... His thoughts began to wander and he slipped again, nearly landing on his rump this time. He let out an exclamation that was not exactly kid-friendly… Tersa gave a rambunctious laugh while Nausicaa looked thoroughly unamused.

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><p>In time they found what they were looking for: a modest-looking living establishment. It was almost quaint, boasting much simplicity and organization. The hut was a very fitting description of the structure that stood before them, a building covered in dried leaves and twigs. Near the hut lay a spring bubbling with vitality, and in front stretched a long garden filled with many exotic plants – all organized into neat rows. A visitor would almost not want to enter, for fear of disrupting the peace and perfectness of the whole scene.<p>

The group was a couple feet from the front door when they heard an aged, but kindly voice, coming from the garden behind them.

"Ehh, about time you folks arrived. No airship randomly circles around Belden a dozen times unless they're looking for this hut."

"Are you Healer Kerlin?" Nausicaa inquired politely. Presently a short, white haired man emerged from the tallest plants of the garden. He was dressed in simple brown clothing, holding a pruner in one hand and twigs in another. His eyes were bright and warm, yet he radiated an aura of age and wisdom.

"I'm a doctor, not a healer. There's nothing magical in what I do." The old man spoke slowly, then shuffled across the garden into the hut.

"Come in." He declared, already lowering himself onto a short, simple stool.

"Now you all came here for a reason. How can I help you?" Asbel immediately jumped in; this was his mission after all.

"My mother's sick and none of the doctors recognize what it is." He began, then continued to give the full list of symptoms. For the next five minutes the doctor listened attentively, nodding occasionally. At the end the sage spoke up.

"And do you recall if the wheezing is worse before or after meals?"

"After meals." Asbel replied slowly after thinking for a couple moments. At this time the doctor walked towards a tall bookshelf, packed with dusty volumes and ancient tomes. There was not a single inch on the piece of furniture that did not have a book wedged onto it. Kerlin nimbly extracted a thick, burgundy hardcover, and without hesitation flipped to a certain section of the volume. His eyes quickly scanned the pages.

"Yes, that sounds about right. It's a rare sickness, called Gullera. It's caused by a particular combination of toxins in the air and food. Most people experience no adverse effects from the poisons, but there's always a small portion of the population that develops a bit of a… shall we say, 'allergy' to it, over time."

"Is it curable?" was the immediate response from Asbel.

"Most certainly. The immune system simply needs to be trained to adapt to those toxins. I must warn you, however, that the cure is a bit of a hassle."

"What do you mean?" Nausicaa asked.

"Well, you need the leaves of a particular plant, called the Mulsa plant. That plant can only be grown in a certain region of these lands, in the Kingdom of Merinth."

"Merinth northeast of this swamp?" Lord Yupa inquired.

"Yes. As of today no one has found a way to grow the plant out of the humid, warm environment found in Merinth's fields."

"Could we maybe dry the leaves and make tea once we return home?" asked Nausicaa.

"People have tried that as well; but for some reason the cure ceases to be effective if the leaves are not used immediately after harvesting."

"So we'd have to harvest fresh leaves and boil them immediately into tea, then take the tea back to Pejite?"

"Correct, or bring the ill to Merinth."

"On a three-week plane ride?" Nausicaa whispered under her breath; it was loud enough for Tersa and Asbel to hear.

"I see." Asbel answered. "Do you mind telling us of the dosages and any other pertinent instructions?"

"Of course," Kerlin genially replied. The doctor then gave them the ratios of tea leaves to water, the process of making the tea, the temperature of the water and plenty of other random pieces of information. Although every instruction seemed tangentially related at best, the group listened attentively, knowing that the smallest of errors could potentially lead to grave results.

"…Have your mother drink the tea right before meals - three times a day. It will be a slow recovery, but once she is healed the sickness is unlikely to return." The old man finished at last.

"Thank you so much doctor." Asbel breathed gratefully, standing up with the rest of the team.

"I wish you all the best, young man. And be careful; Merinth is not the friendliest of countries," was the doctor's last warning just as the group left. Nausicaa frowned at his last comment.

"Not the friendliest? What's that supposed to mean?" she whispered fiercely.

"I don't know; but at least we have a cure." Asbel sighed, looking ahead at the long (and muddy) trip standing between them and the airship.

* * *

><p><strong>Not the most interesting of chapters, I know... but thank you for reading! Next chapter will have some more fluff, I promise!<strong>

**You all have no idea how many nights I desperately wanted to stay up and write; but I was so tired and had early classes the next morning and had to sleep. I love every minute I spend writing this and I hope you all enjoy reading it. Drop a review if you have time! A big thank you to my reviewers for the encouragements.**


	7. Danger in the Jungle

**A/N: Hi y'all! Hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving! I certainly did... loved writing this chapter. I spent quite a bit of time on it, so hopefully it's a good one.**

**Date: 11/26/11 - two days after my deadline... not bad for someone who has a life (ie homework). **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Miyazaki's characters; have you noticed so many of his main characters are female? Chihiro, Sophie, Sheeta... :)**

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><p>Chapter 7: Danger in the Jungle<p>

"Something's coming. It doesn't feel right." Nausicaa had frozen in her tracks, nervously scanning her surroundings.

"What is it?" Tersa asked anxiously, also becoming exceedingly alert.

"I don't know; something's wrong." Was all she could say. Asbel noticed her breathing had accelerated and she looked increasingly uneasy. He wanted to yell at the Toxic Jungle; they had just gotten out of the swamp and now they had to deal with some unknown peril? Suddenly Nausicaa whipped around and stared laser-straight in one direction; her gaze seemed to pierce through the trees of the Toxic Jungle.

"That direction." She warned. All joined her in watching for the slightest signs of movement in that area.

A leaf stirred. The ground began shaking unevenly, sending sudden rumbles through the trees. Spores dropped in waves, synchronized with the random trembles.

"Come on, show your face." Asbel growled impatiently. He was not going to be intimidated.

No one was sure what part of the creature they saw first, but all could tell it was one unhappy animal. It was a large insect; somewhat like a beetle except armed abundantly with horns and spikes. Heavily tossing its head left and right, the bug seemed to be in pain. The group watched in mortified silence as it stumbled into trees multiple times, gradually heading towards the humans along a crooked path.

Nausicaa's heart stopped when the beetle veered to its left, exposing the right side its head. What scared her was not the enormous size of the insect's eye, but the spear that was brutally lodged there. The man-made weapon had literally been stuck into the exoskeleton covering the eye, and remained wedged. Her stomach churned at the sight; the insect was desperately trying to dislodge it.

"The poor thing." she whispered, heart burdened. The creature was now about twenty feet away from them, wings fluttering and teeth chattering anxiously. Nausicaa couldn't tell if it was aware of their presence.

"Are we running, or fighting?" Asbel demanded, hand on his sword. The animal may have been partially blind, but it was not deaf. Sensing the hostility from Asbel, the beetle changed course and charged in his direction. The young man instinctively backed away, preparing to run.

"You won't win if you fight. Run!" Nausicaa cried. Panic struck the group when the creature decided to chase Asbel. Nausicaa feared the most for Asbel's life; those sharp horns were meant to kill. In an instant she was running after him.

* * *

><p>Asbel was now tearing through the trees, with a giant beetle following him around. How did he end up being chased by an angry insect? This was going to have to end somehow; either he lose the insect, or turn around and fight the thing. Feeling tired, he knew he couldn't keep running forever. Upon looking ahead he realized he didn't have much of a choice. In front was a long stretch of dense trees, foliage, and rocks; he was cornered. Panting heavily, he stopped and turned around to face the creature. The beetle had now slowed down and was thudding towards Asbel, who had unconsciously drawn his sword again. Carefully watching his opponent, he couldn't tell if the bug was enraged or scared. The bug drew even nearer, and Asbel gradually raised his sword. Unexpectedly he heard Nausicaa's voice.<p>

"No! Stop this!" She yelled, out of breath as she reached them. "Asbel put your sword down." Asbel seriously began to doubt the girl's sanity when she leaped out and landed in between him and the insect. To his horror the beetle didn't notice Nausicaa's arrival. Pace unaltered, it began to blindly thrash its horns left and right. Without a second thought Nausicaa pushed Asbel to the side.

"Nausicaa!" He was flooded with dread as the beetle wildly lunged in her direction. Nausicaa ducked and dodged the attacks while continuing to back away. He sprang to his feet ready to help her.

"Stay where you are!" She ordered as she narrowly dodged another swipe of the insect horn. Asbel didn't know whether feel apprehension for her safety or frustration with her idiocy.

"Would you just calm down!" She scolded the animal. Knowing it felt vulnerable, she decided to move into full view of the beetle. Still dodging the swinging spikes, the princess carefully positioned herself in front of its uninjured eye, allowing the giant insect to see her clearly. She gazed quietly into its face, waiting for the bug to compose itself.

"We're not going to hurt you." She pronounced slowly, as the thrashing gradually subsided. The creature was grinding its teeth, but to her credit it became less agitated.

"That's it… You're only hurting yourself from all that running." She took a step forward. The animal immediately overreacted, and its outward demeanor flared up in self-defense. Asbel's heart leaped into his mouth when the insect lunged at her again, this time its horn aimed at her chest. Nausicaa swiftly moved out of its way and watched in annoyance as the horn struck a rock with a reverberated clang.

"Stop that! I need to get that spear out of your eye or else you'll bleed to death. You have to let your exoskeleton heal before you can regain your sight." She stepped back, and slowly circled around the beetle's head towards the injury. The bug remained still, but did not stop watching her.

"I promise to make this quick." She reassured the frightened insect, inching towards the eye. Slowly she raised her hand to touch the spear, then carefully tightened her grip. After taking a deep breath she forcefully pulled on the handle. The beetle shrieked in pain as the spear twisted out, and Nausicaa tumbled backwards. Asbel helped her up but she didn't seem to notice his presence; she continued to observe the insect. The princess neared the animal, which was now quietly hunched down in a resting position. In silence she concernedly watched the animal, hoping it was not in too much pain. After a couple minutes of patiently waiting, she noticed two long antennae floating mysteriously towards her. With a smile Nausicaa extended her arm, allowing the feelers to twine around her hand. She closed her eyes; the insect was telling her something. After listening to it, she spoke up.

"You're very welcome. Now be careful and let it heal." Slowly the insect withdrew the antennae and hauled itself up. It looked at Nausicaa one last time before wheeling around and trudging away.

* * *

><p>Presently the rest of the group approached the two teenagers. They had arrived much earlier, but knew better than to interfere with Nausicaa's entomological affairs. Now that the danger had passed, they came to assist the two. Nausicaa felt a firm grip on her arm.<p>

"We need to talk." Asbel hissed, roughly pulling her away from the crew. His expression was intensely icy; he seemed to be irritated about something. He marched a surprised Nausicaa away in silence, farther and farther from everyone else.

After walking well beyond earshot of the crew, Nausicaa was fed up with his antics. She jerked her arm free and faced an impassive Asbel.

"Asbel! What is your problem?" Nausicaa cried, obviously insulted. Asbel removed the mask of chilly indifference to reveal a simmering anger.

"My problem? What is _your_ problem? Are you insane? You could have killed yourself!"

"What?" She snapped.

"Why do you always do this? Why do you always run headlong into danger without thinking twice?" His paranoid tone of voice annoyed Nausicaa.

"I knew what I was doing. I had to help the poor creature! What's wrong with that?"

"You don't think about your own safety before plunging straight in! You need to use your brain! If you had hurt yourself in the process everything would have been useless!" He scolded.

"But there's no time to think! You have to act immediately - _especially_ if it's dangerous! You don't have the luxury to create a detailed strategy!" She barked defiantly.

"You could have at least found a better way to accomplish the task! One that didn't involve the possibility of getting skewered by an insect horn! You could have died!" He yelled emphatically.

"And what would you have me do? Stand there idly while you attempt to solve the problem yourself?" She spat. "You don't know how to work with insects! What if you got torn to pieces? I couldn't just stand there!" She knew she was being stubborn by continuing the argument, but he was being beyond unreasonable. Asbel lost patience with her and switched to a mocking tone.

"Oh of course! The almighty Nausicaa that can speak to insects, who always comes to save the day for helpless Asbel! Would you quit being so self-assured and remember for once that you're also a human?" Unfortunately that statement only seemed to provoke her further.

"You were in danger!" She screamed obstinately. "I will not stand at the sidelines when someone is in danger! Not if I can help it! I've made my choice to be like that and I do not have any second thoughts or any objections!"

"WELL I DO! I CAN'T RISK LOSING YOU!" He shouted, then stopped abruptly. Nausicaa fell silent, not knowing how to reply. She had thought his volatile temper was a side effect of the whole traumatic experience. Completely shocked that this concern lay behind his tirade, she suddenly felt a small pang of guilt for making him worry so much.

Asbel heaved a gigantic sigh and shakily brought a hand to forehead. Being pursued by a raging insect was terrifying enough, but watching Nausicaa nearly get killed had scared him beyond his limits. He didn't know why, but he was stressing out about her safety, and angry at her for taking so many risks. Until now he hardly realized how important her well-being was to him - maybe it was his protectiveness gone overboard? Anyhow the message was not getting through her thick skull, and he lost his patience with her and bluntly yelled out whatever was on his mind. He harshly scolded himself – when would he grow up and tighten the reign on his emotions!

"I'm sorry," He began. "I shouldn't have yelled." As the young man wearily seated himself on a rock, he felt slammed by a wave of exhaustion; yelling at people apparently required work! Much to his regret, this work may have done damage; what would happen between them now? But then he was completely taken by surprise when he felt a hand fall gently on his shoulder. He lifted his own hand to take hers, and held it firmly – unwilling to let go. She moved to sit down next to him, occupying a corner of the same rock he was on.

"I've only added to your worries." She whispered apologetically. Asbel adamantly shook his head.

"No; far from it. I should be thankful for everything you've done. But whenever you do something reckless like that, you scare me to death." He began to rub his thumb against the back of her hand; Nausicaa observed the absent-minded, somewhat distant look in his eyes.

"I just - I can't see you get hurt." His voice was strained and tired. For the millionth time Nausicaa's heart poured out towards him; it was so easy to feel affectionate towards him. Who knew he would even care or worry about her? She felt touched, and ever so slightly thrilled. This was a new revelation to her; he actually cared…? Maybe? It seemed like he did…

"I promise to be more careful with myself." She reassured him, in the most soothing voice she could find. In an effort to comfort him, she pulled herself closer and looped an arm through his. A thought flashed across her mind, and she smiled to herself. If things were truly heading in that direction, she was going to do it one step at a time – for both their sakes.

"_You're such a schemer."_ She told herself. After a bit of musing she spoke up.

"You need to stop getting chased by insects. They tend to gravitate towards you when they're agitated." She teased him gently.

"Not my fault." Came his terse reply. Nausicaa chuckled lightheartedly.

"Shall we head back, before the rest of the crew thinks we've killed each other?" Asbel nodded, still a little numb from everything. Nausicaa noticed this and knew what to do next. Rising slightly above him, she carefully placed her lips to his forehead. The tiniest frown appeared on his face, then evaporated.

In silence she got up from her seat, and gently tugged Asbel up. On their way back he still did not let go of her hand. But Nausicaa didn't really mind.

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><p><strong>AN: How was it? Thanks so much for reading! A big thank you to my regular readers and reviewers! I love all the feedback.**

**Finals week is in a couple weeks, so I probably won't be updating until the latter half of December. Good luck to anyone else that has midterms and exams. **


	8. The Journey Continues

**A/N: Allright friends. You are now entering fluff central. I don't know how this happened, but all the fluff events got pooled into the next two chapters. Bwahaha. This is really a collection of anecdotes I came up with individually, before I organized things into a plot. Guess they all ended up here. Enjoy!**

**Date: 12/27/11**

**Disclaimer: I'm just someone that finds writing as a wonderful outlet for the imagination. Building off of Miyazaki's characters.**

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><p>Chapter 8: The Journey Continues (AN don't laugh; this is seriously the best title I could think of :P)<p>

Asbel was so relieved to be on an airship. He had never been too fond of flying, but a couple days of muddy swamps and insect encounters had changed his attitude toward aircraft. Back on the airship, things settled down into a routine. Everybody on board took turns executing regular tasks – from the most mundane cleaning jobs to manning the watchtower. Furthermore, all had felt hope reignite in their hearts. They now had a well-defined mission before them: reach Merinth and take the Mulsa plant home. Of course, the first part of the mission could potentially harbor complications, and the second half would be undoubtedly difficult. But for now, with lifted spirits the group planned to stop at the small town nearby, to refuel and replenish supplies before heading towards Merinth.

Nausicaa was becoming less and less timid around Asbel. It felt a bit awkward for the prince, knowing she liked him. However, he didn't mind the extra attention, and sometimes found his own reactions even stranger. He wasn't sure why, but he was often enchanted by her personality. She was the sweetest and warmest girl he had ever met, and yet she possessed this strength that was entirely her own. Watching her daily interactions became a captivating pastime of his – that is until she would act up and start scolding him about some random thing or another.

One afternoon Asbel had finished his tasks for the day and was simply thinking. He didn't notice how ruffled his clothes were or that his hair was completely unkempt. Upon hearing footsteps he turned to see Nausicaa walk in; she had just finished assisting Lord Yupa and Jack in the pilot's cabin.

"Your hair's in a mess." She blatantly declared. Before Asbel could respond she reached out her hand and began fixing his unruly hair. At this Asbel snapped out his arm and grabbed the trespassing hand. He had a death grip on her wrist and glared at her in annoyance. However, his eyes softened to being positively perturbed when he saw the expression on her face: gentle brown eyes, alive with a slight twinkle gazing up at him. He loosened his grip, though he continued to send her a bone chilling look, cold enough to freeze nitrogen.

"Do you delight in mothering me to death?" he growled. Nausicaa felt embarrassed but decided not to let it show. With a grin she continued to sift through the rat's nest in front of her.

"Don't get too arrogant; I do this to everyone. Like I said, you're in a complete mess. I see a mess and I have to fix it." She teased playfully.

"I dare to disagree," he drawled. "I've noticed that you purposely pick on me and thoroughly enjoy it." Nausicaa laughed but chose not to respond to that comment.

"Much better." She declared, a satisfactory smile on her face. She paused to look at him for a second, slowly tucking the last strand of hair behind his ear. Their eyes met in a strange silence; however the moment was abruptly cut short when she drew away and headed towards the door.

"I'm going to see if Tersa needs help."

"Do you always do this?" He finally blurted, eyes full of intrigue.

"Hmm?" She back-tracked into the doorway again.

"Pop in to fix something and then slip back out to take care of something else?"

"Pretty much." She stated matter-of-factly.

Asbel laughed incredulously to himself and gave her a curious look.

"What?" She half demanded, a smile forming on her lips as well.

"Nothing." He shook himself and returned to thinking. Nausicaa regarded him carefully, then shrugged her shoulders and continued out the door.

He couldn't deny it. That girl was beginning to drive him insane. He didn't know what to think of her now; wasn't she originally just another Lastelle - another dear sister? But no, not anymore; something was changing. He so desperately savored every minute he spent with Nausicaa that he was starting to scare himself. She was kind, clear-headed, independent, and above all enticingly easy to love. Sometimes it bugged him that his own heart was leading him so forcefully in that direction. He was afraid to move towards a relationship so quickly; but what was there to be afraid of when she loved him first? For the next couple of days the issue would constantly bother him.

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><p>Time passed by slowly and peacefully. Jack had projected about two days' worth of flying before they would reach the village. Nausicaa and Asbel had plenty of opportunities to spend time with each other, which meant there were countless awkward moments between the two of them. On the second evening the Pejite found Nausicaa sitting on the floor of the deck, enjoying an unobstructed view of the sky. The sun had almost completed its grand exit into the horizon, leaving behind lavish swirls of passionate pinks and oranges.<p>

"May I join you?" He inquired politely.

"Sure." she affably replied. He surprised her when he sat down in a back-to-back position with her.

"So how was your day?" She started cheerfully.

"Fine; but a little boring." He admitted.

"Boring? You should have stopped by the mechanics room. Tersa and I spent the entire day checking up on the gears and engines. It was quite hectic."

"Was anything broken?"

"No. Some parts looked a bit worn down, but everything still works just fine."

"Have you always been familiar with all the parts to an airship?"

"I taught myself when I first started using the glider. And after that Tersa was a great help."

"Wow. I never saw the inside of an airship until I met a cousin of mine that built planes as a hobby. I would spend my summers at his place, and he would teach me all sorts of tips and tricks about getting aircraft to work."

"Which cousin is this?" she asked, continuing the conversation.

"On my mother's side. After he learned the basics from a friend he perfected his skills by building his own machines in his spare time. He was an amazing man; had a family and owned his own farm too, at the outer edge of the kingdom. I used to play hide-and-seek with my sisters in the fields…"

She leaned her head back as she listened to him, but he was too busy prattling away to notice. They proceeded to chat about their childhoods. Best friends, role models, secret young crushes, times they got into trouble, most embarrassing incidents… no topic was left out. Eventually he realized that she was talking less and less.

"Am I talking too much?" He finally asked.

"No; I'm just feeling tired. Keep going - I like hearing you talk." Asbel smiled boyishly to himself; her natural pleasantness combined with her sincerity could melt him inside.

"Ok, but don't fall asleep on me." The girl responded with a quaint laugh.

"I won't."

In the end she couldn't help it. Asbel stopped talking when he felt her head nod to the side, onto his shoulder. She was completely out. Presently he pictured her falling over and startling herself awake with an ungraceful thud on the wooden floor. In order to save her from that fate, he shifted himself until they were side by side, and cautiously put an arm around her.

"You poor thing; must be exhausted." He whispered lovingly down at her. Suddenly he realized how beautiful a scene it was. It made him aware that despite her mature qualities, she was still a young teenage girl. As he gently touched her hair, he felt extremely lucky to have her with him, sitting on the deck and watching the sunset. She was no ordinary girl, but a loyal, brilliant, and beautiful young woman - a wise and amazing princess. Out of the deepest parts of him grew a fervent sense of protectiveness, and even possessiveness. She ought to be his and his alone; and in his heart he pledged to take care of her whenever she needed him. Detecting the emotions surging through him, he stopped and checked himself. Was he truly ready for this? He still had the chance to push her away, before they got any closer. But push away the treasure quietly asleep next to him? The rest of him revolted at the idea. No, he couldn't; she was too precious a jewel. Besides, it was this gorgeous sapphire that made the first step towards him. How many times had she hinted, demonstrated, and outright showed him how she felt? Too many times. At long last it dawned on him that all this while she had been patiently waiting for him to respond. That was it. No more inner conflicts and indecisiveness. He knew this girl loved him, and he cared for her too. There was nothing more to think about. He made up his mind to love this girl back, for all she was worth.

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><p>Nausicaa awoke to the sensation of hugging something warm. She half jerked awake when she realized it was Asbel, holding her with one arm and reading a book by candlelight with his other arm. He put the book down and let her wake up for a moment more.<p>

"Hello there." He said gently. Horrified and embarrassed, she never thought this would ever happen to her: waking up and realizing you just took a nap in the arms the very person you had a major crush on.

"Hi," she replied as the grogginess retreated. "Sorry; you should have woken me up."

"Don't worry about it. You fell asleep really quickly and seemed to be really comfortable… I didn't want to wake you." She was hardly listening to him, but was speedily observing her surroundings.

"What time is it? Oh no, the sky's completely dark. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-" He silenced her rambling by putting a finger to her lips.

"Shhh. It won't be awkward if you don't make it awkward. I didn't mind." He lovingly gazed at her puzzled expression while clearing a bit of her messy hair from her face. She eyed the book suspiciously.

"How'd you get the book?"

"Uhh, Tersa brought it to me." The girl grunted and slapped a hand to her forehead. Asbel chuckled in amusement.

"Let's get you back to your room." He helped her up, and kept an arm around her even as they walked back. In the hallway he could not resist teasing her on one last thing.

"Do you know you have the cutest snore?" He joked. Nausicaa froze in her tracks; her eyes widened with embarrassment.

"Are we really going to talk about this?" She implored. Asbel grinned at her discomfort.

"No; I'm just kidding. The last time a girl fell asleep on my shoulder was during a plane flight with Lastelle, when we were about thirteen years old."

"Having girls fall asleep on your shoulder is hardly something to be proud of." She rebuked him as they stopped in front of her and Tersa's room.

"Well, thank you… for a nice nap." Nausicaa stammered with a sheepish chuckle; she finally felt awake enough to be laughing at the situation as well. Upon looking up, she found him unabashedly smiling down at her. She was again mesmerized by the expression in his eyes. As always, they were alight with a fiery twinkle, but this time she noticed something else – unconcealed care and love pouring out of those hazel depths.

"You're welcome. Goodnight, little ohm." He leaned down and gave her a kiss on her cheek. The princess was completely stunned.

"What was that for?"

"Do people not give goodnight kisses in the valley?" He asked seriously.

"Of course they do." she replied, catching on with such a mischievous glint in her eyes that Asbel _almost_ started to panic. The girl stretched up and placed a short kiss on his lips.

"Goodnight." She sweetly replied, then closed the door.

Inside her room Tersa stared at her in disbelief, with an open book on her lap.

"Did he just call you a 'little ohm'? What kind of a nickname is that?"

* * *

><p>The next morning they reached the village. It was a very simple village: the kind in which everyone led relatively similar lives, the three main grocery stores all resided on the same main street, and the only person slightly more wealthy than everyone else was the mayor. The group easily picked up their supplies and was walking through the center of town when they came across a surprise. Nausicaa heard behind her a scuffle followed by a muffled grunt. Whipping herself around, she found Tersa firmly holding a youngster by the collar.<p>

"What are you up to, huh?" Tersa snarled at the pick-pocket, who was now desperately trying to wrangle free from her vice-like grip. "Caught him trying to steal from us." She explained when the rest of the group gathered over. Nausicaa slowly neared the squirming young lad and knelt down to his eye level.

"What do you need?" She asked him gently. Tersa, who was not particularly known for being compassionate, growled at her question.

"Don't give him anything and get rid of him!"

"No! Please; if I return to old Boss empty handed, I don't get a meal tomorrow." The boy pleaded to his captors.

"You only get one meal a day?" He nodded to Nausicaa's question.

"Maybe we should make a trip to see this boss of yours." At this suggestion Jack spoke up.

"Nausicaa, that may be getting too involved. We also should be heading back to the airship to get to Merinth." The lad overheard his comment and grew desperately excited.

"You're going to Merinth? Please! Take me with you! I've been there and know the place well. You might need help getting out." This wasn't the first time the group heard Merinth as being a difficult country; perhaps there was some truth in the child's words. They took pity on the boy, and realized that he just might be useful.

"But what about your parents?" Nausicaa postulated.

"I don't have any parents; Father died in the Toxic Jungle and Mother was killed by the war. I live at Boss' place, along with other orphans."

"You sure you want to leave? You might not be able to come back."

"Anywhere is better than being trapped in this city." He confessed without hesitation.

"Lord Yupa?" Nausicaa turned to the middle-aged man for advice. All directed their attention to him as he paused to look at the child. Although Yupa had never raised children of his own, he had a keen sense of people's character - especially children, since it is easier to separate the sneaky from the simple-minded at a younger age. He noted that this boy was easy to read and naive in personality, even though the circumstances had driven him to become a thief. If corrected carefully, this young child still had the potential to be steered in the right direction, and could grow up to be trustworthy adult.

"Very well. We just might need his help in the near future." Yupa answered, hoping he had made the right decision.

The youngster gladly followed the foreigners out of his hometown, away from years of pain and misery. He could barely contain his excitement; he was finally leaving the past behind for a new adventure! He had no idea where he would wind up, but staying in the village promised him nothing but a meaningless and shameful way of life. He took whatever opportunities that came his way, and from now would feel forever indebted to these strangers for breaking him free of his pick-pocketing life. Meanwhile, Asbel made his way over to Nausicaa and put an arm around her as they left the city.

"Are you sure about this? He was just trying to steal from us and now we're bringing him onto the ship?" He whispered in her ear.

"I don't know; but I think we could do him some good."

"But what will we do with him afterwards? After we leave Merinth?"

"Maybe he wants to see the world; he'll be free to travel wherever he wants. But if he wishes to settle down in one place…I don't know; maybe I'll take him in to live with me."

Asbel frowned at the idea. But then again, that was Nausicaa's way of doing things: taking things upon herself whenever no one else had the willpower or the guts.

"You were meant to be a leader." He concluded as Nausicaa gave him a quizzical look. She had no idea how he came to that verdict, but smiled back at him to return the compliment.

"Says the man that single-handedly rebuilt all of Pejite." She returned, elbowing him in the side for fun.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yay! Another chapter done. It took me a while because near the end of writing this I pushed some events to the next chapter and added some new scenes. Asbel was being stubborn... it was taking the couple too long to get together! Anyhow, it turns out a lot of Chapter 9 has already been written, so hopefully I will get it out before winter break ends. A big BIG thank you to my regular readers Nami-chaan, Sylvia45, Gloxinia, and AnotherLostChance. You guys are awesome. **


	9. Peaceful to Disturbed

**A/N: That's right, my friends. I couldn't put the story down… just had to keep writing. Now that Asbel and Nausicaa are together I can unleash my fluff monster on you poor readers… If you start cringing from all the adorable cheesiness then I've done my job. Enjoy!**

**Date: 1/9/12. It's a treat for you guys! This one's a little longer too.**

**Disclaimers: These are Miyazaki's characters, though the scenes and dialogue are MINE. :D**

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: Peaceful to Disturbed<p>

"Hey, thank you so much for letting him stay in your room." Nausicaa told Jack. She caught the opportunity to chat with the pilot while he was taking an hour's break, before flying through the night shift. After getting a cup of tea, she pulled up a chair next to him in the kitchen.

"No problem," he answered. "He's a sweet little fellow; reminds me of my younger brother actually." Nausicaa smiled and looked out the window, admiring the starry night sky and thinking about the newest crew member. The twelve-year-old had adjusted well on the airship. Not only was he willing to help with anything, he was also surprisingly receptive to criticisms and quick to correct old habits. However, Nausicaa couldn't help worrying about him every once in a while.

"Be nice to Kitson; I think he's been through a lot." She said quietly.

"I'm plenty nice!" Jack protested.

"I know. That's why he's in your room and not in Asbel's – don't tell him I said that! He's just not as good with kids."

"Are you calling me a kid?" He piped, all mock-defensive. Nausicaa giggled; Jack had such a witty sense of humor. Slapping him on the shoulder, she got up from her seat.

"You moron! I'm gonna go to sleep now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Nausicaa."

The princess left the kitchen and turned down the hallway to her room. As she passed by Asbel's room she noticed the door was slightly ajar.

_Strange… it's normally closed._ _Is everything allright?_ She wondered to herself. Would it be an intrusion of privacy if she went in? What if he simply forgot to close it? With 80% curiosity and 20% concern, he pushed the door open an inch and peered in. The moonlight illuminated his figure on the bed, but she couldn't tell if he was asleep.

"Asbel?" she whispered. She was answered by the sound of his even breathing.

"Are you awake?" Still no answer. Now powered by 99% inquisitiveness, she squeezed herself into the room, keeping the door nearly closed. _Just a quick check, to make sure everything's fine,_ she told herself as she silently neared the bed. By the time she reached his bedside she could see the soft moonlight floating through the window, delicately highlighting his features. He was fully asleep. Watching his form heave slightly with every breath, she couldn't help the slight curl on her lips. Yes, she was probably being a creeper staring at him in his sleep, but she didn't care. The expression on his face was so tranquil, it was almost beautiful. For once he didn't look worried about anything! Since the beginning of the trip he had exhibited anxiety, and she had tried her best to lessen his burden. She had never seen someone so fraught with worry over those dear to him, and in countless instances had wanted to tell him how special he was. Somehow she also ended up bringing out his protective side too, and she loved him for that.

Finally she caught herself absorbed in thought and panicked at the notion of him waking up. Before leaving she remembered one last thing she wanted to do. Slightly leaning over the bed, she lovingly caressed his tousled hair and pressed her lips to his forehead.

"Goodnight Asbel." she whispered, and got up to leave. Just as she was about to walk away from the bed, hands reached out and snatched her wrist. The poor girl jumped four inches off the ground in fright, while behind the covers Asbel emitted a series of long, drawn-out chuckles. Gently he tugged her back towards him.

"You really don't need to wait until I'm asleep to say good night to me." Nausicaa could hear the mirth in his voice; her mood switched from terrified to utterly unamused. Inside she was still recovering from the scare.

"Well, since you're _not_ asleep, it makes no difference." She retorted flatly. Asbel got up, pulled open the covers and patted a spot next to him on the bed. Nausicaa looked at him skeptically.

"Come on. I'm too awake to fall asleep anyway." He persuaded.

"You sure?" The girl asked with uncertainty in her voice.

"What, you don't trust me?" Asbel responded, pretending to be hurt.

"I absolutely do not." But by that time she had already climbed on.

"Is Tersa still awake?"

"No; you know she sleeps early every night. Why?"

"Well, if she knew you were in my room, she'd probably sneak in here in the dead of tomorrow night, to remove a certain part of my anatomy – just for pre-emptive measures, you see." Nausicaa burst out laughing.

"She could have done that back at the Festival if she wanted to! But she's actually taken a liking to you."

"Really? She's terribly frightening already. I don't think I could take much more of her scare tactics." Nausicaa scoffed.

"You haven't seen some of the treatment she's given to others in the past."

"Others?" Nausicaa felt him rise slightly off the bed; and was that possessiveness she heard in his voice?

"Are you already jealous?" He relaxed again.

"No; I'm not worried about you." Silence hovered for a short moment.

"But what about Jack?"

"What about him?" Nausicaa asked, surprised. Asbel's eyes softened to a slightly serious look.

"He loves you, Nausicaa."

"I know." A sorrowful expression misted over her. "I love him too – but not in the same way." She sighed.

The two sat in silence next to each other, leaning against the back of the bed and simply enjoying each other's presence. Nausicaa began to reflect on how their friendship had grown over the years. They were two unlikely acquaintances that had found each other in the midst of Tolmekian invasions, toxic jungles, burning airships, and raging ohm stampedes. At that time she had been fixed upon saving her kingdom, but in looking back was beyond glad to have taken that detour to rescue the mysterious Pejite pilot. He had returned the favor by helping her save the Valley, against the wishes of the Pejite authorities; and later turned into a wonderful friend. Over the years, what started as a strange partnership had somehow evolved into pure and honest affection. It was a unique and convoluted road to falling in love; without a doubt she would relive it again if she could.

Ten minutes later she detected that sleep was starting to creep upon her, and alerted herself to wake back up.

"I should probably go," she declared. Although Asbel had also nearly fallen asleep, he woke up again and was still in a mischievous mood. He let out a playful growl, and grabbed her by the waist and reeled her back in. A giggle bubbled out from Nausicaa's lips; Asbel turned serious and gave her a kiss in her hair.

"You don't have to go – unless you want to of course." He said, releasing his grip on her. Nausicaa was undecided. She knew she ought to leave, but in her heart she already started missing the warmth of his arms around her. Staying would be nice, but would he mind?

"Are you sure? I mean this is your room."

"I don't mind at all. Would you quit being so polite? Just a short nap if you like, and then you can head back to your own room."

"Allright." Some part of her told her that it most likely was not going to be a short nap; however, she ignored that voice in her head and wriggled under the covers. Asbel removed his arms from around her and made sure there was ample room between the two of them. "_Strong moral fiber,"_ she joked inside her head; "_Tersa would be proud_." After she positioned herself comfortably, a question popped into her head – one that she just had to pose.

"Hey Asbel, are we considered in a relationship yet?" Turning his back towards her, Asbel chuckled – though with less amusement than normal.

"Sleep, silly girl. Besides, does it matter what we call it?"

"No." She replied, likewise readjusting her position. "But it would be helpful."

Almost immediately she began drifting off again. She was nearly asleep when she heard Asbel say something.

"The short answer would be yes." Asbel whispered, supposedly to himself.

* * *

><p>The next morning the crew noticed that Nausicaa was in an exceptionally joyous mood, greeting everyone very cheerfully and occasionally humming to herself. Asbel was also surprisingly cheerful, considering the fact that he tended to be pensive in the mornings. Most people on the airship were entirely clueless to how and why, but the more knowing ones like Yupa and Tersa could probably guess the reason. Even Jack had been somewhat aware over the past few days, and it saddened him that the one he liked had fallen for another. With the issue still on his mind, he decided to talk to her about it when she passed by him in the hallway.<p>

"Something's different about you." He contemplated to Nausicaa, who was practically skipping down the corridor.

"What do you mean?" She settled down a bit when she noticed his serious expression; an odd feeling of reserve weighed upon him. He seemed to have trouble formulating his words.

"Do you love him?" He finally gathered the resolve to ask. At first Nausicaa was shocked.

"Jack-"

"I need to know." Intense blue eyes pinned her down; Nausicaa realized how important a question it was to him.

"Yes." She breathed solemnly, a little apprehensive of his reaction. Jack sighed internally; he had prepared himself for this answer, though deep inside he wished it were not so.

"Allright. He loves you too; I can see it whenever he's around you. I'm more than happy for you – Asbel is an amazing person."

"Jack, I-" she stopped not knowing what to say. She knew the man loved her, but how to answer without making him feel even more hurt? Deep inside she felt terrible! He didn't deserve this kind of treatment; he was too wonderful a friend. Nevertheless, the old playmate was more of a best friend. He was the brother that she could freely laugh, play, and joke around - without accidentally falling in love.

"I'm so sorry." She finally sighed. She was still worrying about inevitably injuring him when he spoke up.

"Don't be! I'm far from broken. I just have one small request: that we also keep our friendship. Can you keep me as a brother please? I would be content with that." Nausicaa was touched to the core by his sweet and simple wish. With a small cry she sprang forward and wrapped her arms around him.

"Of course! Jack, I love you too; just in a different way." The young man hugged her back just as tightly.

"I know. It will take me some getting used to, but there are no hard feelings amongst me, you, or Asbel. In fact I kinda saw this on the horizon from the very beginning." He smirked. Nausicaa had no idea what to say; she was simply elated their friendship had overcome this obstacle.

"Thank you. You're one of those very rare people that I am so glad to have as a friend."

"And you are absolutely one of a kind. Asbel doesn't know how incredibly lucky he is." His blue eyes twinkled once again with their usual liveliness, though in the background remained the slightest tint of sadness. He leaned forward to carefully place a kiss on her cheek. Nausicaa let him do so, and smiled.

"With your personality, it won't be long before you get swarmed with hoards of wonderful girls."

"I highly doubt it…"

"Don't say that! There's a particular short-haired girl on this airship that has had a crush on you for ages." The look of shock on his face was priceless.

"Tersa?"

Nausicaa didn't answer him, and continued down the hallway.

* * *

><p>"What are you up to?" Asbel commented in a slightly reprimanding tone. While on watch for the night, he heard someone clambering up the shaft to the watchtower, and peered over to see Nausicaa bounding up the ladder.<p>

"You're manning the watchtower for the night?" She sang energetically as she squeezed her way onto the single-occupancy tower. The whispers of the night breeze seemed to harmonize with her voice.

"Yes. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I'm not too sleepy. I'll stay up with you." In reality she was finding an excuse to spend some time with him. She wasn't the "clingy" type; they had just been busy all day and a bit of quiet time together had appealed to her.

"No little ohm; you need to get some rest."

"Are you going to keep calling me that?"

"You don't like it?" He asked, a little concerned. Nausicaa couldn't decide how to respond so she looked away. It wasn't the most inventive nickname; interpret the phrase incorrectly and it could sound condescending at best, degrading at worst. However, she loved how endearing it sounded coming from his lips. She was too embarrassed to admit she liked it, and so remained silent. Observing her carefully, Asbel noticed the smile she so desperately tried to conceal and grinned impishly.

"Hmm, that means you like it." He concluded, somewhat pleased with himself. Nausicaa thanked the heavens for the darkness that shrouded the growing blush on her cheeks.

"No fair! I feel like an open book. Since when did you get so good at reading me?" The prince laughed triumphantly. She was still listening to the delightful sound when strong, sinewy arms wrapped around her and pulled her in.

"Ever since you started reading my mind like a psychic." He answered.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, an unlikely friendship was developing elsewhere. For the first couple of days back on the airship, Tersa eyed Kitson with mostly distrust. To her, the lad seemed to be nothing but trouble – a boy that only knew the skill of self-preservation, even at the cost of moral values. A lost cause for sure, Kitson would always be an unreliable misfit, a thieving individual formed by improper upbringing and unfortunate events. But after a bit of observation, her view of the little boy began to change. He was incredibly easy to correct and quick to learn - perhaps many years of hardships had taught him the great skill of adaptability. Kitson was also very mature; the loss of both parents at a very young age gave him early exposure to the harsh realities of life. In this aspect Tersa somewhat identified herself with him; her parents had raised her with a "no-nonsense" philosophy. Even before the age of ten she was trained to carry herself with sensibility that was not found in other children. You could say that both Kitson and Tersa had similarly boring childhoods devoid of childish fun - except Kitson had neither the choice nor the guidance of loving parents. Fortunately, Kitson never harbored any bitterness over his circumstances; Tersa noticed that underneath the composure lay a clean and simple heart. The child was still willing to be corrected, and aware of his own faults. The rest of the crew had accepted him into the group, and she eventually decided to do the same. Within a week she found herself mentoring him and constantly keeping an eye on him. This gave rise to peculiar conversations between the two.<p>

"Tersa?" Kitson piped one afternoon, when the two were working together on a task.

"Yes?"

"Are you still angry at me for trying to steal from you? I know what I did was wrong." Tersa was dumbfounded that the issue was still on his mind.

"Of course I'm not angry. Kitson, what's done is done. As long as you know it was wrong, don't worry about the past – you can only change the future. People do wrong things all the time. Then they learn, and they stop doing it. It's ok." Tersa was shocked at her own answer; since when did she become so eloquent? The boy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good because I thought you were never going to forgive me."

"Never forgive you? Why?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "People hold grudges. It's a bad thing to do, but people do it all the time."

"Hmm." She contemplated, impressed by his curious comment. "No; no grudges." She concluded, half musing to herself as she continued working.

"Yeah; I try not to hold grudges. They never do you any good anyway. You can never forget past events, or heal broken friendships, and then people are too scared to become friends with you. Then you turn into a genuinely grumpy person." Tersa laughed at his articulate description.

"How do you come up with this stuff?" She finally asked him out of curiosity.

"I think about things whenever I can't sleep."

"You're a funny little guy," She said with a smile. "You would be a good philosopher."

"Nah. They don't ever make any money!" He replied with a grin.

* * *

><p>Gradually they neared Merinth. It was a strange feeling for all – to know they were at the last and most crucial part of their journey. Even the airship hummed with unrest the night before reaching its destination. Late in the evening, Asbel stood on the deck, blankly staring out at the stars. The peaceful display of celestial lights contrasted sharply with his mood. Presently Nausicaa joined him, leaning on the rail and deeply inhaling the clean night air.<p>

"Are you nervous?" she asked him.

"Do you want me to be honest?" he returned.

"I never expected anything less from you…" she replied, not really knowing where he was going.

"I'm _very_ scared. More scared than ever." he blurted earnestly, looking down at the railing. He looked so forlorn and vulnerable that Nausicaa's heart swelled with sympathy. At this point the princess couldn't keep her hands off him any longer; she moved towards him and wrapped her arms around his middle from the side. Nausicaa had no idea if this would help at all, but he just might feel better with her care and concern…

It did help. He exhaled deeply, relishing the contact. Presently he responded by placing an arm around her shoulders and forcefully pulling her into him. Eventually they were lost in an intimate embrace, arms around each other, simply savoring the closeness. Finally Asbel spoke up.

"Thank you." He breathed into her ear. "You have no idea how much this all means to me. I can't believe you came with me this far. I still don't know why you're doing all this – why you're even on this trip." He held onto her even tightly, as if this was the last time he would ever see her.

"You should know by now that I'm not ever leaving you – even if you wanted me to."

"And I'm forever grateful for that. But I'm worried; I fear that something might go wrong in Merinth." At this point he pulled away to look earnestly into her eyes. "If anything does happen, promise me you will first and foremost protect yourself." He pushed a pointed object into her hand.

"Use it for protection," he continued. "If we run into trouble, I want you to take the crew with you and leave Merinth. Go to my mother, and tell her that I'm on my way. I'll get the Musla plant myself and find my way out."

Looking down, she saw a tiny dagger suspended on a gold chain, beautifully ornamented with jewels in stately blue and orange. She recognized the weapon; Asbel had shown it to her before as Lastelle's dagger, handed down from generations past. She smiled, and lovingly gazed up into his anxious and insecure expression. Noticing the frown plastered to his face, she envisioned him worrying himself into premature aging.

"If something goes wrong, we will brave it together," answered Nausicaa. She took his hand intending to return the dagger to him, but he foresaw her actions and brought his other hand to close over hers.

"Don't." He countered, shaking his head more and more emphatically. Stubborn resolve seemed to build within him. "You have no obligation to lay your life on the line for me. I can't afford to lose you, or anyone on this airship."

"Asbel, nothing's going to-"

"No, listen to me." He urged, grabbing onto her shoulders. His eyes blazed with a passionate angst.

"I love you." He pronounced sincerely, voice shaking. "And I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you. Promise me. If we run into danger, you'll take the crew with you and get out of Merinth as soon as possible. Don't worry about me."

"I can't do that." She breathed uneasily. A frown clouded her beautiful features, but Asbel would not yield.

"You have to. Please; promise me you will. It'll give me some peace of mind." He looked so frantic that she could not refuse him. Unwillingly she nodded, and in the seconds that followed silently watched the frenzy recede from his eyes. Soon afterwards she noticed a deep sense of longing bubble up to the surface and fervently flood the earnest hazel. However, one emotion was quickly replaced by another; for suddenly compulsion seemed to consume him, body and soul. With a newfound urgency, he brought a finger to tilt her chin up and swiftly sealed his lips to hers. His arms moved to her waist, bringing her closer - as if to claim this girl to himself forevermore.

Nausicaa was completely taken by surprise but returned the kiss just as passionately, bringing her hands to rest around his neck. The embrace deepened for a few seconds more, and gradually softened when Asbel gently drew away. Their eyes met in a pregnant silence. He seemed a bit afraid of her reaction at first, but relaxed when he saw her warmly smile up at him. Carefully she moved her hand to his forehead, lightly smoothing out the frown that had been cemented to his face for the last twenty-four hours. As she proceeded to tenderly stroke his hair, she noticed that the worry never left his eyes.

"You're certain something will go wrong?" She quietly asked after a couple moments. Although she was attuned to trouble in nature, she had no aptitude in predicting human behavior. Asbel similarly had never had any gut instincts of any sort. Deep within her, she hoped his sudden flare in instinctual warnings would turn out to be a false alarm.

"I don't know; but I have this dreaded feeling that it won't end well."

She nodded solemnly, gazing deeply into his furrowed expression.

"We'll find out tomorrow." She sighed darkly.

* * *

><p><strong>Heehee, everyone got their fluff wiggles out? Hope it was satisfactory. It's not a fanfiction without a kiss, so don't complain. And yes, I had to end it nicely with Jack. If you ladies ever do find someone as awesome as Jack, dump the other guy and marry him. :P<strong>

**Sorry I had to end it with a serious scene... but it's preparation for the last section of the story! Love all you wonderful readers and reviewers out there! Unfortunately I have no idea when I can update next... there's a possibility it won't be until May or June. If that happens, my apologies in advance. I will still be working on it - just ever so slowly. I'll try anyway to get something out before then.**


	10. Entering New Territory

**A/N: Hi everyone! I'm glad to be back. Heading towards the end of the story… super excited! There's some fluff in this chapter (I got kinda carried away, haha) and more action is coming. ;D**

**Date: 5/19/11. What can I say? Still chugging along; that is all. ^_^**

**Disclaimers: Building off of Miyazaki's characters and falling in love with them myself.**

* * *

><p>Impenetrable patches of foreboding clouds hung across the dull gray sky. In his room, Asbel allowed his mind to wander as he shrugged on a jacket, made from a certain type of sheeps wool found only in the hills of outer Pejite. The style and warmth of the material was unique to the land - one of the many things his country was proud of.<br>_Home._ Asbel sighed to himself. How long had he been away from his mother? Two weeks now; he had no idea how she was faring, whether or not she was getting any better, if she was even still alive... He grimaced at the thought and tried not to think about it. She could not die yet; when he left the doctors said she still had one month to live. He was going to make it back in time; he would not allow it otherwise.

The feeling of uneasiness had stayed with him all night, and as a result he got only the minimal amount of sleep. Completely clueless on what to expect, his only consolation was to bravely press onwards, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.

"Come what may," he declared to himself, his tone completely void of emotion. With a grim expression he walked out of the room to join the rest of the crew as they approached their final destination.

The airship flew through a large fog cloud before emerging out over a vast stretch of land, marked by rolling hills and a healthy sized river that fed into the ocean. They stared in wonder at the number and variety of living establishments dispersed before them. From humble farms at the outskirts to wealthy complexes, to a giant reinforced palace at the heart of the territory, the kingdom of Merinth looked quite impressive.

They landed unobtrusively in a giant meadow reserved for travelers by air, next to a couple other airships. Despite its rural appearance at the outer edges of the kingdom, Merinth was still quite a center of commerce. Shortly after landing the entire crew assembled to discuss the final details of their plan.

"We need someone to watch over the ship while a small group of us goes into the city." Nausicaa directed. "Asbel and I are definitely going in… Lord Yupa you should probably come with us?"

"I agree." The man articulated.

"I'm coming too, Princess." Tersa declared. "Kitson as well since he's been inside before."

"Allright. That leaves Jack and the rest of the crew to watch over the ship. Jack will you be allright manning the ship on your own?"

"Absolutely," the pilot replied confidently.

"It would be wise to enter the city in groups; a large party might look suspicious." Someone remarked.

The suggestion resulted in more deliberation, and eventually the group decided that Yupa, being the world-renowned swordsman, ought to pass through the city gates alone later in the day, after the others had already entered Merinth.

"In that case we need a meeting place as well." Asbel considered for a moment. "Kitson what is the first inn you can think of? It should be a busy and relatively large place so we will blend in with the rest of the visitors passing through."

"There's Burditch's Inn, not very far from the gate. It's one of the most common stops for middle class travelers.

"Allright; we'll enter first, take a quick look around the city, then meet Lord Yupa at nightfall at the inn."

Fear began to mount in the pit of Asbel's stomach as they stood ready to exit the plane. Whatever would they encounter inside the kingdom? What if they were to enter, to never come back out again? Myriads of terrifying possibilities dragged his spirits down into despair, but his heart calmed when he felt a delicate hand - warm, smooth, and unyielding - carefully slip into his and give a gentle squeeze.

"Somewhere in there, a little mulsa plant awaits us." Nausicaa chimed hopefully. Asbel gave a strained imitation of a smile at her optimism. She guessed the root of his worries and attacked it as tenaciously as possible.

"Quit worrying," she chided him. "We'll survive. We've done it all our lives; it's the one thing we're good at."

Again she had read his mind, and he would never understand how she could do it so accurately. Appreciation mingled with concern poured out from his soul and he exchanged glances with her again.

"Just don't get into trouble." He sighed nervously at her.

Together the couple excited the airship, along with Tersa and Kitson. The entire distance from the airship to the city gates their hands remained clasped – a simple reminder that they would stay together, even if all hell were to break loose on them.

* * *

><p>"Names please."<p>

"Sorry?" Nausicaa replied. Asbel, Nausicaa, Tersa, and Kitson stood at the city gates, ready to finally enter their destination. Before them sat an official, with a pen in hand and what appeared to be a list, written on a terribly long sheet of paper.

"We keep records of everyone that enters Merinth. Names please."

"Oh, of course." She replied, before giving the names of the people with her.

"And what is your reason for visiting Merinth?"

"We're here to buy a plant – an herb, to be exact, that is sold only here." The man nodded and continued to scribble on the sheet of paper.

"How long do you intend to stay?"

"No more than a couple days," answered Nausicaa. At this point the man noticed Kitson and eyed him warily.

"And the boy… is he a relative?" Tersa caught the hostile glint in the man's expression and jumped in defensively.

"Yes. Younger brother." She barked with authority, placing a firm hand on Kitson's shoulder. Nausicaa smiled inwardly; at first glance they could most definitely pass as siblings. By sheer coincidence they had the same dark brown hair, similar expressions, and, as Kitson's character slowly came to light, a common sense of self-discipline and absolutes. It was very strange indeed…

"Allright. You may proceed." The man uttered mechanically.

"Not the warmest welcome… but not bad for a country as big as this." Asbel dryly remarked to his companions as soon as they had passed through. Nausicaa laughed gleefully, barely able to contain her excitement. The city had such a huge diversity of shops and people! Everyone and everything was bustling about their own business.

"The real fun begins now." She enthused, energetically absorbing information about her new surroundings.

"We're not here to enjoy the scenery, Naus…" Asbel growled, slightly annoyed.

"I know, but we might as well. What's the purpose of taking up a challenge if we don't appreciate it for all its worth?" She challenged him before strutting off.

"She's got a point." Kitson winked at Asbel before skipping ahead to join Nausicaa in wide eyed wonder at the new world around them. The Pejite let out another long suffering sigh and trailed behind them.

* * *

><p>It was still early in the afternoon; the group decided to look around first before depositing their belongings at the inn. Upon entering the first medicinal herb shop, they gaped at the large inventory of products on display before them. The entire wall was covered with boxes containing every type of dried leaf and root imaginable, while live plants lined the window. Presently they were warmly greeted by the shop owner.<p>

"Hello. How can I help you?"

"Hi. We're looking for a type of plant; called the mulsa plant. Do you sell it here?"

"What's it called again?"

"Mulsa." The man slightly cocked his head in unfamiliarity.

"Sorry, we don't sell such a plant. Is there another name for it?"

"Not that we know of…" Nausicaa trailed off uncertainly.

"Well, I know all the common and scientific names of the products here, and 'Mulsa' doesn't seem to ring a bell."

"Oh I see." The group politely thanked the man for his time before leaving.

"Let's check some of the other stores. It must be sold somewhere." Nausicaa assured once they exited the shop.

"Maybe we should try a plant nursery instead." Asbel suggested.

They stopped by three more stores before changing their direction to find the inn. In each place they asked, the plant was never heard of and understandably not sold. The group had found it somewhat peculiar, but chose not to worry about it quite yet; perhaps they were searching in all the wrong places…

* * *

><p>The inn was easy to find, and before the sky had grown dark they paid for two rooms and deposited the few belongings they had brought along. They were now situated at the entrance to the inn, delighting in the fresh breeze of the oncoming night and watching the city wind down for the day.<p>

"Woah! That looks cool!" Kitson exclaimed all of a sudden, startling even the strangers around him. Following the direction of his gaze, the others noticed an aged peddler, feebly pushing a cart covered with hundreds of random keepsakes and miscellaneous gadgets. No one had any idea knew which item he was pointing at, but whatever it was he obviously could not take his eyes off it. Tersa's interest had been piqued as well, though for an entirely different reason. She observed the boy for a moment, then extracted a couple coins from her pocket. She handed the money to Kitson.

"Go. Buy it if you like."

"Really? Thank you Tersa!" Without another word he darted after the white haired man and his cart. Nausicaa got up from her seat and came to stand next to Tersa.

"You're developing a soft spot for the little guy." She teased her close friend. The girl simply shrugged off the comment.

"You would have done the same." Tersa coolly remarked.

"You're spoiling him!" Nausicaa protested; Tersa continued to ignore her.

"It's my money… I can do whatever I want with it." She retorted.

He returned with a mini wooden airship that looked remarkably similar to one they flew in. The structure was even more intriguing in that the very center of the model had been altered. Where the captain's cabin should have been, there was a wide and thin piece of wood with a cylindrical hole bored into it. The size and shape of it implicated that it was meant to hold a candle, and directly above the shallow pit hung a fan of sorts, connected to gears that seemed to possibly help propel the ship through the air. Nausicaa was highly skeptical of the device; laws of aerodynamics told her that the heat of a single candle was not nearly good enough to lift the device off the ground. Nevertheless she marveled at Kitson's new possession just the same.

Lord Yupa strolled in as the group was finishing their dinner. They watched him check into a room, and after a couple minutes began to casually head back as well. Kitson led the way in ambling inconspicuously into Yupa's room; purposeful meander was his specialty anyway. The others were not so skilled, but luckily no one really cared who walked into who's room. Nausicaa was positive they would have looked less suspicious if they had simply invaded his room with guns and knives. Yupa warmly welcomed them when they entered.

"Have you eaten yet Lord Yupa?" Nausicaa inquired.

"Yes dear child, thank you." The man replied. "It's a busy city, isn't it?"

"Indeed. Did you try looking for the Mulsa plant?" Nausicaa asked him.

"Yes I did, but I couldn't find it anywhere. You?"

"We tried; no one has ever heard about or seen it." The swordsman nodded slowly; Asbel spoke up next.

"What should we do now?"

"Spread out tomorrow, and look farther." Yupa advised them; then he added, "Reconvene at a different location, in case people are looking for us."

After choosing a new rendezvous point, a little farther into the heart of the city, everyone sleepily retired for the night. It had been quite an eventful day; all were more than glad to flop onto bed and sleep.

* * *

><p>Nausicaa threw on a jacket; the night was slightly chilly. Unlike the Valley, Merinth did not have unfailing winds to even out the temperatures between night and day. Consequently the nights were colder and the days were warmer. After trying unsuccessfully to fall asleep for the last half hour, she had hopped out of bed and was heading out to look at the stars. The events of the day still replayed through her mind; there was something suspicious regarding this Mulsa plant and she couldn't help feeling a tinge of worry in her gut. But deliberately she maintained her spirits for the sake of the group. Solving the issues before them did not necessarily entail worrying about them; Nausicaa wished to complete the mission with as little trauma to the group's mental health as possible.<p>

She slipped into her familiar blue boots and silently padded down the hallway to the outdoors lounge. To her surprise Asbel was already sitting there, staring at the landscape and absorbed in solitude. The inn was situated high upon a hill and thus provided a breathtaking view of the valleys and distant farmlands, while the moon casted a soft tranquil glow over the countless houses and shops. His figure slouched slightly as he sat on a short bench, which was more like an elongated stool that could fit 2 or 3 people.

Quietly she approached him from behind; he heard her and continued to gaze thoughtfully out into the distance. Gently she placed her hands on his broad shoulders; he jolted from the initial contact. A stab of pain shot through her heart; she hated to see him so tense with burden. The boy willed himself to relax when she proceeded to slowly slip her arms around him. Her hands slid over his chest until they soundlessly stopped over his heart. For a moment she registered his heartbeat – calm, slow and steady. Time came to a standstill as they both listened to the silence enveloping them, save for the solid rhythm of his heart. She tenderly brought her lips to his neck, leaving the softest kiss on his skin. Her actions had an immediate effect upon him, and she watched the stress dissipate into the night air with his every breath. Still her arms refused to leave until she noted him fully relaxed beneath her touch.

"You're a night person, aren't you." She purred to him. Her hands, now moved to his shoulders, gradually began to massage the rigid muscles.

"I like evenings." He whispered. His eyes fluttered closed in gratitude, her hands magically pulling the tension out of his back.

"I've noticed; you always seem resigned to even be awake during the daytime." He answered with silence; he was weary from the long journey and sleep deprived from the troubles on his mind. She let the quiet reign for a moment, then noticed his shoulders still were not completely relaxed. She leaned in closer to him, as if to divulge a most important secret.

"Breathe; you're still tense." She whispered into his ear, her lips grazing his ear lobe. He obeyed her – frankly it was quite hard not to, seeing the girl was seductively breathing in his ear like a second conscience. She softly kissed his temple in reward. Eventually Asbel felt that his burdens had floated away, and his troubles could be tossed aside - for the moment at least.

"Thank you." He sighed.

"You're welcome." She was about to sit down when he turned to face her, ready to tell her something important. Nausicaa felt like rolling her eyes; would he just calm down?

"Nausicaa-"

She stopped him by stealing his breath away with another kiss. It was probably something about her safety, and she didn't want to hear it anyway.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not going anywhere." She reassured him. He frowned at her and looked a little torn. Before he could say anything more she changed the subject.

"Why do you dislike the daytime so much?"

"Days are hectic, nights are calm." He explained.

"What about the excitement at the start of a new day, enthusiasm for the adventures that await?"

"Then your days are obviously more interesting than mine." He drawled sarcastically.

"I don't believe that for a minute," She snorted. "You Pejites are never bored; it's like hyperactivity runs in your blood." A smile danced across his lips. Nausicaa noticed it was a real smile – not the half-hearted fake ones she had seen the last few days, but a real one that lit up his eyes. She encircled him in her arms a second time, gently rocking him from side to side.

"Please smile more often; I hate to see you like this." She told him sincerely; her sweet voice ringing with sympathy.

"And what if I don't?" he retorted rebelliously; his mood had lightened considerably into borderline playfulness. She giggled mischievously.

"I'll resort to more dramatic measures..." she hissed in a husky undertone.

"Oh? I'd like to see you try." He prodded, clearly enjoying the conversation. Nausicaa noticed the return of his usual liveliness and bounced off the bench.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." She suddenly piped up, gently tugging his arm.

"What?" It was his turn to be confused again.

"You said you were a night person; come on." She pulled more forcefully and Asbel rose from his seat with a grunt.

"Do you ever sleep?" was the only comeback he could think of as she dragged him off the porch onto the street.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you so much for reading! Sorry this took me so much longer to write… I feel so rusty! Hopefully the chapter's not too boring. A big thank you to everyone that has subscribed, reviewed, or favorited… and of course everyone else that regularly checks up on me. Keep an eye out for the next chapter... it will not be as long of a time gap as last time I'm pretty sure. :)**


	11. The King of Merinth

**Hello hello everyone! Haha I know you guys probably want to kill me for taking so long to put this up... But I have every reason for it! Firstly, I have had crap do to (yes even over summer break), second my screen crashed about a week ago (it's fixed now thankfully), and thirdly I smashed my finger in a car door. It's still bandaged up right now so be happy I'm uploading this! lol :P thus if you see some typos please give me a bit of grace... **

**Date: 7/12/12**

**Disclaimers: Miyazaki is incredible with his character portrayals and I don't dare touch what he's already done... just borrowing his characters for some more fun with his imaginary universes. :D**

* * *

><p>Chapter 11: The King of Merinth<p>

The next morning everyone spread out in their search for the elusive plant. With the exception of Kitson and Tersa, each person went on their own to a different part of the city to scour the area for herbal stores, medicinal stockrooms, plant nurseries, horticultural centers, and anyplace that might possibly harbor items with green leaves and photosynthetic capabilities. Although the farmlands ended where the gates started, within the gates lay plenty of produce stands selling the fruits of their labor, and possibly the seedlings as well. All were to cover as much ground as possible, then meet again at noon to proclaim any findings.

And search they did. In every crook and cranny of every shelf, in every market and down every alleyway. But they began to lose hope when their many efforts returned no results; after vast amounts of searching they were still empty handed. The mysterious plant was nowhere to be found. That afternoon they gathered in a tiny secluded room in the quieter areas of the city - dejected, exhausted, and concerned. One look around the room, and everyone realized that their individual hunts for the little green vegetable had all encountered the same dead end. Worries and suggestions now flew across the room.

"Something's wrong. It's obvious."

"Are we not looking in the right places?"

"We've looked everywhere! We might as well start looking underground!"

"What if it's really not in Merinth?"

"Even if it's not grown in Merinth, surely someone must have heard of it?"

"It has to be in this city." Nausicaa affirmed. "Kerlin specifically sent us here."

"Well what if he told us wrong?" Tersa barked, unconvinced.

"I don't think he would lie to us." The princess returned quietly.

"But why send us here if the plant is not here?" Asbel questioned.

No one answered. The room seemed to hum with the heat of the midday sun, filling in the overbearing silence. Lord Yupa, who hadn't said a word all day, finally spoke up.

"There are two possibilities: either the plant is not in Merinth, or it is and no one is willing to speak of it." He paused a moment to allow the idea of malicious concealment sink in to everyone's heads. "We have plenty of reasons to believe the first possibility, but does anyone have evidence for the second?"

"Wait a minute..." Asbel started. "Now that you mention it, I had a very strange conversation with an old beggar; he talked in a very deranged manner so I didn't think much of it."

"What did he say?" Nausicaa prodded.

"He said that Mulsa has never been sold. Years ago a handful of people had tried to grow it and give it to the people, but the Palace intervened. One man was jailed, and another disappeared, never to be heard from again."

"That's not very encouraging." Tersa blurted frankly. Nausicaa sent a disapproving glare in her direction, then looked worriedly at Asbel.

"The Palace you said?" Asbel nodded.

"Did he say why the Palace intervened?" The boy shook his head. By this time Nausicaa was lost in thought, as if already devising a plan of sorts. Observing her facial expression, Tersa stared at her in disbelief.

"Princess, don't tell me you're planning to just walk in there and ask for it!"

"Why not?" The girl returned with a slight hint of defiance. "Maybe it grows in Merinth, but it can't be sold, which is why we can't buy it. Or better yet, it's grown in the Palace and just never given out to the people. In any case we'll go ask for it, or demand to know why we can't have it."

"It could be suicide!" Tersa spat.

"We have to try. Would you rather us be caught sneaking into the Palace trying to steal it?"

"Tersa's right Nausicaa. It's too dangerous." Yupa stated pessimstically, but Nausicaa would not waver.

"It's going to be dangerous no matter what we do! It may or may not be in the Palace in the first place. Assuming that we do find it and we need to smuggle it out, we'd have to survey their defense mechanisms: how many guards do they have? Are they heavily armed? Do they have secret passageways? Prison cells? To play safe we can make up a reason to visit the palace, search for the plant, and if we find one grab it on our way out." The group was silent for a moment; Nausicaa looked pleadingly into their eyes for understanding. Everyone was considering her logic, but remained impassive. She sighed wearily.

"Come now, my friends." Nausicaa urged earnestly. "We knew this would be dangerous. Our loved ones and our nations need this." She spoke quietly but her eyes glowed with fiery decision. "This is not a suicidal mission; I intend to succeed in every way." She scoured their faces for a response. The silence bothered her but she knew her friends well. The lack of objections demonstrated their reluctant acknowledgement of her reasoning. Now that she had their approval (or rather the lack of disapproval), she moved onto the next step.

"Kitson have you ever been inside the Palace? Tell me everything you know about it." Nausicaa beseeched Kitson gently. Although the boy had never been inside the Palace, he displayed complete cooperation in enumerating all pertinent details he could think of. Ten minutes later the group had gathered quite a bit of valuable information. The Palace was more like a collection of gardens, ornate halls, and buildings, which housed the living quarters and offices of the current king, King Sarkil, and a select few of his top officials. They all began surmising optimistically when they heard about a massive Conservatory of Flowers that cultivated thousands of both native and exotic plants. An underground system of dungeons was rumored but not confirmed. Finally, the area was less guarded at the perimeter than at the entrances to the individual buildings. One would have an easier time sneaking out of the perimeter of the Palace than exiting the outermost country gates undetected.

"Perhaps only Nausicaa, Kitson and I should enter the Palace." Asbel suggested. "In case we run into trouble, not all is lost."

"And if after two days you don't hear anything from us, come in to help us or look for the plant yourselves." Nausicaa joined in, while the others nodded in agreement.

Next they planned the details of actually entering the Palace. They designated a location for Tersa and Yupa to hide in waiting when the others went on their "scavenger hunt", as Asbel put it. It was still midday, so Nausicaa and Asbel chose to enter that evening for the sake of saving time. If the doctors were correct in their estimation, then Asbel's mother only had a mere week and a half left. Furthermore, the evening was a strategically more favorable time to enter, as it provided the cover of darkness to search for the plant and observe the fortifications of the Palace. If they sensed any immediate danger, slipping out of the Palace would also prove less difficult in the middle of the night as opposed to in broad daylight.

The sun lazily began to retreat toward the horizon and the group ate their dinner calmly. With the strong composed personalities that everyone had, no one was overly anxious, while the evening breeze ushered in a peaceful atmosphere. Nevertheless they couldn't help feeling the occasional jitter of restlessness. The night was still young when Nausicaa, Asbel and Kitson finished packing and embarked toward the Palace. Before they separated ways, Nausicaa approached Tersa and Yupa and wrapped them each in a tight hug.

"You be careful..." Tersa growled as soon as Nausicaa pulled away. The short haired girl then turned stiffly towards Asbel.

"You too Asbel; take care." The Pejite replied with a grave nod, though on the inside he was taken aback by the caring sentiment coming from her. Had she finally decided to be nice to him?

In all honesty, Tersa had never particularly liked Asbel. She was slow to make friends and automatically skeptical of all who neared her. However, when she saw that Nausicaa had fallen head over heels for him, she knew she had to start tolerating him. Luckily it proved to be relatively easy; he had a good heart and clearly loved Nausicaa back. Tersa also acknowledged that she couldn't singlehandedly protect the Princess forever. It gave her comfort to know that he would be there for Nausicaa come the day she could no longer look after her. The princess had become a sister to her, and Tersa loved her more than anything else in the world... consequently Asbel had become a sort of brother as well. At the moment she was worried for both of them: Nausicaa because she had the unfailing ability to always get herself into trouble, and Asbel because of his idiocy to actually let her have her way.

"Don't do anything crazy!" She shouted her last words of advice after them into the darkness of the night.

* * *

><p>Nausicaa, Asbel, and Kitson soon found themselves walking through the entrance to the palace. Apparently the gates were hardly guarded at all and didn't close until much later at night; so they entered easily, as if they were tourists squeezing in one last attraction. Most people inside were already on their way out, or finishing their strolls through the lush gardens.<p>

"Allright; just stick together." Nausicaa told the boys authoritatively.

"We should try the conservatory first." Asbel piped up. They all agreed at the idea and followed the signs toward a magnificent building. It stood several stories tall, and was made entirely of glass panels embedded in a wooden structure. Even without the graceful rays of sunlight to highlight its architectural beauty, the structure was mesmerizing. Nausicaa had never seen anything so sleekly designed: it comprised of three different wings that were each topped off with a majestic clear glass dome. At the moment, it delicately reflected the darkening sky and the young moonlight that had just started to creep over them. Upon boldly nearing the main entrance at the center wing, the three found a guard standing rigidly before them. When they stepped within ten feet of the building the guard moved to obstruct the doorway.

"No entering the Conservatory unless you are accompanied by an official or have permission from one." He dutifully stated. With disappointment on their faces the trio sluggishly turned around and left, their curiosity heightened to suspicion of what exactly lay inside those walls.

"Hmmm..." Asbel mused. "Should we go get permission?"

"Can we break in instead?" Nausicaa chirped casually, randomly throwing the fresh idea from the top of her head.

"Are you crazy?" Asbel briefly considered dragging her back out the Palace gates and depositing her under Tersa's watchful eye. "It's glass and completely guarded."

"There's not really an opening that isn't in complete view of the guards or the public." Kitson jumped in to support Asbel.

"Fine... let's go get permission." Nausicaa sighed, slightly defeated. "I was looking forward to finally doing something against the rules." Asbel practically choked on the plain air at her complaint.

"Be careful what you wish for." He snapped.

* * *

><p>They didn't have to walk very far when their eyes beheld an imposing building, boasting much grandeur and authority as it towered over all other buildlings. Made entirely of a rare hazy black marble, it had steps all along the front that led up to large wooden double doors. The three of them gaped at the size of the building before they noticed the words "CITY OF MERINTH OFFICES" engraved in bold, capital letters above the doors.<p>

"Well that looks like a good place to start. Shall we?" Asbel exchanged glances and a hopeful smile with Nausicaa.

"Sure." Was her short reply; cheerful but not as hysterical with excitement as yesterday. The reflective glint in her eyes gave away the vitality bubbling within her however. Asbel stared back her, wondering if this was simply her basal level of liveliness every second of the day. He smiled in loving amusement; she really was the complete opposite of him in certain respects.

Two feet into the doorway they encountered another guard that asked for their names. The procedure was similar to when they first entered the city gates, so this time they weren't so shocked at the routine. What did astonish them was the response from the guard. The moment they mentioned their names the guard shot an attentive glance at the group, speedily surveying each member carefully.

"Ah yes; we were hoping you might stop by." He said cryptically. "Right this way."

He called another guard to manage the station, instructed the trio to follow him, and marched down a couple hallways deeper into the building. Presently he opened a black door to a waiting room and gestured them to go in. Cautiously Nausicaa entered the empty room, sending the guard a questioning glance.

"You will be escorted to the King's office when he is ready to see you." He answered her confused expression. Then he closed the door.

* * *

><p>The three looked at each other in surprise. The King? They were hoping to get permission from someone powerful to see the Conservatory, but the King? That was not really necessary.<p>

"Why do you think he needs to talk to us?" Asbel pondered.

"I don't know." Nausicaa answered, just as clueless.

About a half hour later the door swung open again. They raised their eyes to behold another man in a different attire walk through the door. While guards normally donned a buttoned blue uniform over beige pants, this man wore a set that was entirely dark gray except for a white stripe at the shoulders. Asbel wanted to guess that this man was of a higher rank based on the material and look of his uniform.

"This way please." He spoke politely as he ushered them out the room and led the way down another series of passages. Presently he stopped in front of a black door that looked completely identical to all the other doors on the floor. Nausicaa made a mental note to never enter the building without either a guide or a floor plan; even those with the best sense of direction would have no difficulty getting lost. Visions of inescapable mazes flashed through her mind until the sound of their escort knocking on the black polished wood snapped her out of her brief trance. The man then lightly opened the door. The trio shyly walked in to find a dark skinned man in his sixties, sitting behind a expensive-looking and beautifully varnished cedar desk. Papers were arranged in neat piles all over the desk, signifying the huge amount of work involved in running a country. King Sarkil sat before them reading a document, and his hand lay ready on a large golden seal, posed to stamp another form. Disturbing cat-like olive green eyes hid behind thick knitted brows, while a sharp nose and clean-cut beard gave him an aura of superiority. Upon hearing the noise he looked up and gave a friendly smile.

"Ah, welcome. Please, come forward." His suave voice floated over to them. They cautiously neared toward the man as he pushed his documents to the side.

"What are your names?" He asked cordially. The three introduced themselves again.

"Pleasure to meet you three." Smooth politeness gushed out with every statement from his lips, and he seemed to be keen on starting a friendly conversation. "So how do you like Merinth so far?" He hummed casually; Nausicaa was the first to answer.

"It's a lovely city; thriving and unique."

"Mmm, most definitely. My advisors are talented when it comes to managing large scale economics." He added. After a brief silence he spoke up again, in a mild mannered tone that slightly reminded Nausicaa of a cat sitting on a windowsill meticulously cleaning its paw.

"Well we are very glad to have you visit. Now, what can I help you with?" He quickly prompted, finished with the formalities and ready to get down to business.

"If it's possible we'd like permission to see the Conservatory." Asbel stated honestly.

"Oh I see. Is that all?" He purred, a little surprised.

"Yes; we apologize for taking up your time on such a small matter, but it seems we were sent directly to see you."

"Oh it's not a problem." He dismissed with a wave of his hand, then threw a sidelong glance at them. "But tell me, were you not looking for Mulsa?" He asked them abruptly, with a tint of curiosity.

They stood there planted to the marble floor, dumbfounded he already knew of their intentions. Nausicaa thought carefully before answering. What if they did answer with denial? How long could they keep that up? They may be able to fabricate a reason to visit the Conservatory, but why try so hard to get in, especially at night? She quickly realized that it was pointless to try to hide the fact; perhaps openly asking for help would be more beneficial.

"How did you know?" She inquired, amazed and bravely hiding the slight tremble in her voice.

"I have my sources," he replied with a sly smile. His eyes flashed a unexpected dangerous glint; but it disappeared before anyone noticed it.

"Yes," she nervously admitted. "We need it to cure the sick that are back at home."

"Ah, I see. And how far away is home, if I might ask?"

"Kitson and I are from the Valley of the Wind; Asbel is from nearby Pejite." Tersa had said Kitson was her younger brother... might as well make it believable.

"The Valley? That's quite a journey!" Sarkil exclaimed, incredulous that anyone would make such a gigantic trek for the sake of one plant. "Then you must be very tired..." He commented in a sympathetic tone. Suddenly his mind seemed to register something.

"The Valley you said?" They nodded. "Are you possibly _the_ Nausicaa of the Valley - who talks to insects, and knows the ways of nature?"

"Yes; that's her." Asbel proudly confirmed; Nausicaa felt the heat rise into her cheeks. She was blushing furiously.

"Indeed... Your talent is very rare." He smoothly complimented her. "Not many people can walk up to an ohm without getting killed, and even fewer can boast your level of knowledge of the plants in the toxic jungle." Sarkil fidgeted with the knob of the seal while pondering something. His face was closed and all emotion hidden away; no one could tell if he was mulling over a small decision or scheming something terrible. Finally he spoke up.

"I know you are hoping to obtain the plant as soon as possible, and I would be more than happy to help you with that." He cooly explained. "But it is already late in the evening, and I still have several things to attend to, and one last meeting to run with my advisors. If you do not mind staying here in the Palace overnight, tomorrow I can address this need of yours more adequately." His flowery statement was diplomatically vague as ever, and they stood there in confused silence. His monologue was impossible to decipher; were they going to get the plant or not? Nevertheless, from the small bits they could comprehend, his given answer was better than a complete refusal. So they nodded in assent and hung on to the hope of tomorrow.

"Albert," the King summoned to the hallway. Presently the escort stepped in, attentively awaiting an order.

"Show them to our two best rooms in this building." He then faced the three youngsters again. "You have my word that the matter will be solved tomorrow. For now you should rest from the long journey you've had."

"Thank you." The travellers gave a polite bow before filing out of the room.

Albert led them through a new set of corridors, up an elevator, to a new section of the building. Here the doors were brown instead of black, but otherwise identical again. The man directed them to the two rooms they would stay in for the night.

"Thank you, Albert." Nausicaa chimed to their escort as she walked into her room.

"You're very welcome, Miss." He replied, returning the kindness. Once he left, Kitson and Asbel also walked into their room and spent the first few minutes gawking at the sight before them. Their overnight stay was gorgeous; beige wallpaper with gold streaks and gold trimmed furniture gave the room an ethereal glow. The luxurious carpet, overstuffed beige pillows, soft white marble table tops, and panoramic window view of Merinth all left them in wide-eyed wonder.

When Asbel was done staring at his room he went next door to check on Nausicaa. She had been similarly spellbound with the lodging; the furnishings were beyond impressive. He found her admiring the elaborate woodcarved bedposts and getting ready for bed. In silence he watched her shuffling around the room like a busy little bluebird.

"Hi." She sang when she when she finally noticed him.

"Hi." Came his voice; calm and content to regard her from the doorway. "Wanted to check on you, make sure you were ok. And to say goodnight." He added the last reason spontaneously at the end. She looked up at him with a cheerful smile.

"It's only been 45 minutes and you're worried about me?" She teased.

"I'm always worried about you." He replied, sending her a slightly reproachful glance. Nausicaa chuckled and walked up to him.

"One of the things I both love and hate about you." She brought her arms to rest around his neck, and he responded by sliding powerful arms around her waist. Having taken her captive, he proceed to tighten his arms until she was pressed against him. His broad shoulders dwarfed her slim body and he looked like he was cradling her to him. Their eyes were transfixed upon each other.

"I know," he returned playfully, hazel eyes twinkling, lips curling up into a cocky smile that made her insides melt. His smallest gestures could drive her insane. Why did the heavens have to send her this kind of sweet torture? She stopped her train of thoughts and gave him a flat look.

"You worry too much." She chided.

"A strange thing to hear from someone who likes to help everyone with everything."

"Doing is not the same as worrying." She objected strongly. Asbel was not about to start an argument with her, so he smiled in concession and lightly kissed the tip of her nose.

"Let me know if you need anything." He told her softly, then pulled away. She nodded and watched him back out of the doorway to his own room.

"Goodnight." She remembered to say when he was halfway into the room.

"Goodnight, little Ohm." She giggled; was she ever going to get used to that ridiculous nickname?

* * *

><p>Asbel gave a gigantic yawn and a rejuvenating stretch. The morning sunshine streamed through the window, gently rousing him from his restful sleep. It had been a while since he felt this refreshed. He turned his head to see the other bed empty; Kitson must have gotten out of bed early. Asbel was not suprised; the boy was trained since childhood to wake up early to catch the morning wave of half-asleep, easy-to-pickpocket middle-class workers. He padded over to the window and watched the streets come to life as citizens began the start of a new day.<p>

Suddenly there was a loud rap at the door. He opened it and saw guards standing before him. What was going on? Before he could register anything or start asking questions in his head, he heard the one sentence that burned itself into his memory.

"You are now under arrest by the orders of the King."

* * *

><p><strong>Haha I have no idea how this chapter got this long... And I just thought it might be fun to do a really strong cliff hanger for a change. Now that I've decided to torture you with that, I guess I need to make up for it by posting the next chapter sooner. :) Mmm - maybe I should stop making these promises because I never keep them... XD hehe thanks for reading and drop a review if you have time! <strong>


	12. Into the Darkness

**Hi folks! Sorry it was such a long gap... But i was sick of my old plot and basically had to come up with something new entirely... now my plotline is fresh on my mind. Enjoy! PS I'm still on break so I'm gonna try to write some more and head towards the finish line... ^_^**

**Date: 1/11/13. shucks. why does time go by so fast?**

**Disclaimers: Miyazaki is clearly responsible for lighting my imagination on fire. :P Quite the wildfire now... I can't stop writing. :O**

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><p>Chapter 12: Into the Darkness<p>

Nausicaa stirred awake and frowned sleepily, partly at the uncomfortably bright sunlight but mostly about something unknown tugging uneasily at her conscience. As the rest her senses pulled out of sleep she became aware of a man shouting from outside her room. She recognized that voice well, low and reverberating into the deepest parts of her soul reserved for those she treasured the most. The intense frustration she heard in it called her at once out of the warmth of her bed. In haste she threw on an outfit and flung open the door to see the commotion.

"Get your hands off me!" Asbel fiercely snarled at the guards that were quickly closing in on him. "There's no way we can be under arrest!" Nausicaa stood there bewildered and trying to make sense of the drama before her. The guard refused to back off and regarded him coldy.

"You are in fact under arrest and this is the only way to do it. Please come with us now or we'll have to use brute force." Then the man noticed Nausicaa frozen at her doorway.

"You as well, Miss. King's orders." Asbel looked up and instantly their eyes locked on each other. She confusedly searched him for an explanation, but only found terror ablaze in the fiery hazel.

"Why?" she fearfully asked the guard. "What's happening?"

"We're simply following orders," the leader enunciated with as much feeling as a stone statue. Before Nausicaa could object two more guards appeared on either side of her and took hold of her arms. Her muscles turned unresponsive and her tongue refused to move, while hundreds of questions flashed through her mind. Anxiety twisted into a deep, horrified betrayal, and incredulity washed over her countenance.

Asbel was in complete despair; had all their efforts gone to waste? Had they trekked halfway across the world, gone this entire way just to have their pilgrimage abruptly end with unexplained arrest? Even if Mulsa was fated to be out of their reach, could he not at least protect Nausicaa from danger? The one person he swore to never let in harm's way! In torment he watched innocent confusion turn into fearful shock in her expressive brown eyes as she continued to absorb everything.

"No! Let her go! She doesn't deserve this!" He howled at them pleadingly, and struggled to free himself from their grasp. His anguish was reflected in Nausicaa's eyes in the form of pure heartbreak. She looked back at him like he was mad.

"Stop it Asbel!" she cried. "You'll hurt yourself!"

"I'm not letting you come with me!" He wriggled all the harder, getting bruised from the restrictive contact of hands, ropes and weapons.

"I need you to cooperate..." the guard tensely muttered to him. The man tightened his grip on an obstinate Asbel.

"Asbel please! Stop for a moment and think!" She begged him. "What you're doing is useless!" She was taking this road with him no matter where it led... or did he still not know that? Furthermore, they were so outnumbered that resistance was not an option...

"She has nothing to do with this! Let her go!" He furiously insisted, and wildly kicked a subordinate guard in the shin. The man uttered a suppressed yelp of pain in response. Finally the first guard got sick of Asbel's antics and gave him a firm blow to his head with the butt of his gun. Gripped with anguish Nausicaa reached for him, screaming his name and feeling his pain shoot through every fiber of her being. He grunted and fell to his knees, unharmed for the most part but very stunned. Cruelly the guards pulled him back up and they started walking.

"Come on now; work with us," they commanded. Defeatedly he stumbled back to a standing position and trudged with the guards towards their unknown place of confinement. On their way to the cells Nausicaa quickly realized that one member of their party was missing.

"Where's Kitson?" She whispered to Asbel with urgency, who like her, had his arms tied behind him and was walking alongside her.

"Don't know," he muttered in resignation. "He wasn't in the room when I woke up this morning." She speedily brainstormed all the places he could possibly be.

"You think the guards have him?" she asked in a lower voice so that the uniform-clad men around her wouldn't hear her.

"I doubt it; the guards had to search through my room to make sure he wasn't hiding anywhere."

"That's good to know..." she sighed in relief; a minuscule smile raised the corners of her lips. "Smart little guy. I bet he knew something was coming." she mused to herself.

The guards led them through a myriad of mysterious passages and staircases, each hallway looking darker and more ominous than the last. Determination steadily began to build in Nausicaa's soul; she wasn't going to let Sarkil have all the fun. The sneaky Merinthian might have the upper hand temporarily, but she would find a way to turn the tables. Nevertheless she needed to survey the playing field before she could make a move...it was time to extract a bit of information.

"Where are we going?" She inquired innocently.

"You'll find out soon enough." Rasped one of the guards.

Nausicaa had an impeccable sense of direction and observed the direction of the sunlight through the few tiny windows they had passed thus far. In her mind she visualized the layout of the Palace and the locations of the buildings relative to each other. If they were heading east and took a turn just then... they must be walking in the direction of the Conservatory.

"Are we going to the Conservatory?" She asked out of curiosity.

"Of course not; we're going to the cells."

"And they're inside the Conservatory?" She prodded again with feigned child-like naivety.

"No." boomed a uniformed gentle giant walking next to her. "They're underneath the Conservatory."

"Are they connected?"

"Everything's connected here. All the buildings within the Palace have underground passageways leading to each other."

"Oh." was her last remark as a self satisfied smile touched her lips. _Information acquired._

In time they reached the prison. Like all the other underground tunnels, the passageway was well lit, though the stone walls gave everything a wash of dismal grey. Nausicaa and Asbel peered into the cells to behold other prisoners relatively well fed, despite looking as unamused and bored as any incarcerated man would be. The individual chambers appeared dreary, though not filthy or torturous in any way. The couple entered their empty cell in silence; the lock clicked shut behind them. They turned around to sullenly watch the guards retreat. Asbel still fumed from the whole injustice.

"This is ridiculous. We should've been on the plane by now; but here we are stuck in jail without even an explanation." Asbel began to pace back and forth across the concrete floor; he was increasingly annoyed with the current situation. Nausicaa sensed his tempermental state and watched concernedly from the other end of the cell.

"None of this makes sense." He spat, continuing to think out loud. "Sarkil knows we need the plant, we were treated as royal guests yesterday, and yet somehow we are now trapped in a prison cell. Why?"

"I don't know." She sighed frankly. Asbel growled in vexation and gave the steel bars surrounding them a violent shake.

"This is so frustrating! Can someone please tell us what's happening!" He cried suddenly, coming to stand still. Nausicaa gently took his hand and looked sympathetically into his eyes. The Pejite stopped his train of thoughts, his anger distracted by her composure as she quietly remained beside him. She understood his worry and wasn't going to say a word until his frantic breathing gradually slowed back down. When he looked into her eyes again he noticed the same gentle yet determined expression he had seen on her face 4 years ago in the sand caves under the Toxic Jungle. Instead of meticulously observing hollow tree trunks, this time she was carefully watching his every emotion.

Frustration was replaced by helplessness and Asbel eventually plunged downwards to sit on the floor. Nausicaa followed him and rested her head on his shoulder, and for a couple minutes they absorbed the calmness of the silence.

"I'm sorry..." he murmmered, but Nausicaa quieted him.

"Shh...Stop that. This is not your fault." The dark emptiness seemed to reverberate through the cells, drowning out all other noises.

"Now what?" He sighed exhaustedly, tilting his head to rest on top of hers.

"We find the plant."

"What?" He whined, reluctance audible in his tone of voice.

"Sarkil placed us within 100 feet of the Conservatory." she argued logically.

"You don't even know if it's in the Conservatory. And exactly how do you plan on getting past these bars?" He questioned skeptically.

"I don't know. But we'll figure something out." Her steady voice reassured him. Silence passed between them.

"You're crazy." He declared with a half chuckle.

"Did you just notice?" She replied sarcastically and gave a yawn.

* * *

><p>Kitson crept stealthily along an empty hallway, cautious of every sight and sound that came his way. His only goal was to get out of the building without being noticed by too many people. So far things were going well; he had picked a quiet route and had a good sense of direction. As he progressed towards the front of the building, he passed a man that gave him a curious glance. Aware that a small boy walking alone looked inevitably suspicious, Kitson sped up his pace and pretended to have lost his way.<p>

What a crazy morning! He had woken up before the crack of dawn that day, due to old habit, and decided to go exploring through the building. The corridors were completely lifeless save for a servant with the odd housekeeping job. After a half hour he was familiar with the floor plan of a good portion of the building, much to his delight. But when he turned a corner and heard footsteps from the other end, he panicked. The clink of armor told him it was guards, and he quickly searched for places to hide. To his terror the hallway was completely barren of objects... except for a massive, antique flower vase.

"Not again..." He sighed to himself, then walked up to it and jumped in. As the guards marched by he overheard their conversation; from the footsteps it sounded like two men.

"We're arresting them now? But they just got here."

"I know, but it's the King's order."

"They're not gonna like it... we should probably get more people. Oy, Arthur!"

"You two on the morning shift too, eh?" Came a voice much farther away.

"We've got some people to pick up!"

"Who?"

"The three that came in yesterday!"

"You mean the couple and the young boy?"

"Yep!"

"But isn't the girl a Princess from the Valley?"

"How should I know? King's orders."

Kitson lay motionless inside. He knew last night's ordeal was too good to be true; but what to do now? Could he go warn Nausicaa and Asbel? No, there wasn't enough time to wake them both up and escape. He needed to get out of the Palace - tell Tersa and Yupa. Wasting no time, he instantly crawled out of the vase and started his trek out of the Palace. When he reached the main lobby, it was the busiest time of the morning, bustling with visitors and businessmen alike. He scanned the hundreds of people and was shocked to see the same guards at the door as when they entered yesterday.

"Can I help you? Are you lost?" A voice startled Kitson. The young lad turned to see a kindly attendant and immediately put on his most forlorn expression.

"Yes please. Which way is the gardens? My parents were going there next and I lost track of them."

"Oh of course. Take those doors you see in front, and the gardens are to your right."

"Thank you!" He deftly snatched a hat from an unaware visitor, and inched towards the doors. Covering his face with the hat and eyeing the guards apprehensively, the boy took a deep breath.

And then he ran.

"Mom! Dad! Wait up!"

The guards looked up in surprise and chuckled.

* * *

><p>Late in the afternoon Sarkil sat pensively at his desk, gazing out the window overlooking his kingdom; his hand carefully traced the familiar knob of his golden seal. He was quietly mulling over something, and at the moment his thoughts involved two visitors he had just rudely thrown into jail. He felt slightly sorry for them; watching others in their misery was not particularly entertaining to him. Nevertheless he made his decisions from a very practical standpoint, valuing first and foremost the well being of the people of Merinth. Standing at a close second was the security of his reign of course, and he gave little concern for others if it didn't affect either of those two things.<p>

He experienced no remorse in imprisoning them. Anything related to Mulsa had to be settled with precision, and no risk of things going wrong. That plant was history, and he preferred to keep it that way. This particular situation was also unique; he was dealing with one very famous Nausicaa. His dark brows furrowed sharply as he connived how he might use this as an opportunity to benefit himself and Merinth...

He stopped his dark thoughts with a bemused chuckle; it was so considerate of them to waltz into the Palace. In fact if he had heard another report of 5 visitors relentlessly digging through Merinth for Mulsa, he'd have to send men to hunt them down and bring them in. Annoyance resurfaced on his thin, sharp-nosed face as he sighed wearily to himself... how on earth did they even hear about the damned plant, let alone its origins? He thought he was done cleaning up that mess from so many years ago.

He finished his current task on hand and called a servant into the room.

"Tell the guards to bring in Nausicaa and the Pejite; I'd like to speak to them."

Ten minutes later his two newest prisoners entered the room, escorted by a bunch of guards. Sarkil understood the agitated expressions on their faces, and decided to treat them in as civilized a manner as possible. After all, they were completely innocent and perfectly harmless.

"Apologies for the unkind treatment this morning. I had no other choice but to keep you here until I had the chance to talk with you."

"Arrest was hardly necessary!" Asbel snapped impulsively.

"Mmm, no I wasn't really trying to arrest you...I'm just making sure you don't go anywhere. So you're more like 'under surveillance', you see." He explained casually.

"You could have just told us to stay put." Nausicaa jumped in, disgust showing in her features.

"No my dear, I stopped relying solely on verbal orders a long time ago. A little bit of enforcement is always required."

"You gave us your word! You said you would help us!" Asbel denounced accusingly.

"I never promised you anything." The King stated matter-of-factly. "I only said the matter would be resolved; this is my way of resolving it." At this point Sarkil raised himself out of his chair and began to slowly circle around the desk towards them.

"I'm going to make a deal with you. I will let you go, and you can leave Merinth unharmed and in peace - but only if you swear to never speak of Mulsa again. Do not ask for it, do not tell anyone about it; just return home and pretend as though you never left.

"You're telling us to give up?" Nausicaa challenged defiantly. "Leave it all behind when we've travelled halfway around the world just for this plant?"

"If you want to leave Merinth in one piece, yes." He responded bluntly. Olive green eyes looked carefully at the two of them.

"Can Mulsa cure gullera?" Nausicaa stepped forward.

"I cannot tell you the answer to that." A haughty smile curled the corners on his lips, highlighting his aquiline features.

_An elusive way of answering yes,_ she thought to herself.

"Where is it stored?" She demanded.

"You think I would tell you?" He retorted mischeviously, eyebrows raised. But the expression disappeared as quickly as it came and the serious look returned. "You don't know how dangerous this plant is, not to mention how much trouble it has caused me."

"How can it be dangerous when it's supposed to cure a sickness?" She bounced back immediately, catching the hint of a backstory.

"Stop asking questions you know I won't answer!" He hissed irritatedly as he sent her a sideways glare. "You're wasting my time; this is your last chance to drop everything and leave. If you don't cooperate... well, be forewarned that I will go to extreme measures to get my way."

"Then you should know we won't leave until we find the answers." Asbel returned resolutely. The bearded man sighed, clearly disappointed.

"Then I'm afraid I cannot help you." He stated plainly. "Take them back to the cells."

* * *

><p>Nausicaa and Asbel returned to their place of confinement. Their accomodations consisted of a simple matress and a stone bench; near the back, behind a stone wall, lay a simple toilet. They sighed to themselves.<p>

"We are going to get very bored, very soon." Nausicaa groaned.

"Better get used to it." Came another voice. Nausicaa and Asbel both turned to the barred window on their right. Presently an aged man waddled up to the window. He looked nearly seventy due to his scraggly, bearded appearance and white hair.

"Hello." Nausicaa greeted him.

"Hi. Name's Findel. Lewis Findel."

"I'm Nausicaa, and this is Asbel. We're not from around here."

"I can tell;" the man croaked, "You don't look Merinthian at all. What brought you here?"

"It's quite a long story." Asbel noted.

"We've got time." Lewis joked with a hearty smile.

They sat down to describe their entire journey: from Gullera, to Healer Kerlin, to their current hunt for Mulsa. The elder man seemed to pale a little at their mention of Mulsa, but his hair gave him such a whitish appearance that neither Nausicaa or Asbel could notice it in the dim light. He seemed particularly curious about the doctor Kerlin, and listened very intently to their story. At the end of it he sighed gloomily.

"Well, looks like you encountered the same fate I did."

"What are you in jail for?" Nausicaa inquired. Lewis was about to answer when guards approached Nausicaa and Asbel's cell and began unlocking the door.

"The king would like to speak to Nausicaa."

"What now?" She grunted, getting up from her seat. "Pleasure talking with you Lewis."

"You too princess." The man returned. Nausicaa leaned toward Asbel and touched her lips to his forehead.

"I'll be right back." She sang sweetly.

"Be careful." He urged her. Before departing with the guards she turned around and treated the two gentlemen to a confident, almost radiant smile.

"You are one lucky lad." Findel remarked when she disappeared up the staircase.

"I know." Asbel replied.

* * *

><p><strong>Everybody good so far? Haha sorry it's been a while; even I had to go back and reread the chapters previous to this to remind myself what I was writing about. :P But hey, I liked my older chapters ... hope I'm keeping up with the standard. Review if you have time! Thanks everyone for reading.<strong>


	13. A New Collaboration

**AN: Hi! Sorry it's been so long, but I am finally out of school and have the time to write! Anyway I'm super excited to continue the story; I missed writing this soooo much! Thanks for your patience.**

**Disclaimers: I am indebted to Miyazaki for being able to tell stories so vividly and still somehow give you a character's past and present personality within the length of one movie. As a result I have more than enough material to create my own story. (As can you in your stories!)**

**Date: 5/29/13. Nearing two years, and still going!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: A New Collaboration<strong>

One flight of stairs, a left, then a right; pass five doors then go up the staircase on the right. Doors transform from unsightly grey stone slabs to polished black wood... Nausicaa memorized every detail as she passed from the dungeons to the main office building once more. Before long she found herself standing before the King of Merinth again.

"Welcome, please sit down. First things first; I've got a couple of questions." He paused to let her settle down. "Where is the boy I saw yesterday?"

"I don't know; he disappeared." She replied honestly.

"That's a shame; I wanted to at least keep the three of you together. And the remaining two that came with you into Merinth?"

"How should I know where they are now? You're the one with the spies." She chirruped rather unapologetically - did he really pull her out of jail just to ask her that? The middle aged man gave a low chuckle, and regarded her in amusement.

"I think I'm starting to like you... Now, I've been thinking about our current predicaments."

"Have you changed your mind and decided to give us the plant?" She asked slightly boredly, already knowing the answer. She knew she was reaching borderline insolence, but it felt justified given the circumstances; she had every right to be rude. In response to her rebellious tone, Sarkil simply smiled.

"I believe we are in a bit of a stalemate. You want the plant, I won't give it; end of story. You're still in jail and I don't know what to do with you." Nausicaa laughed scornfully.

"Let us go." She stated seriously.

"No; I don't want you causing more trouble outside. Your Pejite friend said it himself: you're not leaving until you get the answers."

"And we will stand by what we've said. However, you can't keep us locked up when we haven't done anything wrong yet."

"True, but I have a bit of confession to make... you're in jail because I also want something from you."

"What do you mean?" she frowned, her attention roused.

"I want the secrets of the Valley: how your people live so close to the Toxic Jungle without dying." Nausicaa chuckled at his exaggeration.

"That's no secret - it's the wind."

"Not just that," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "I speak about your ways of life: how do you kill toxic spores that drift into your farmland? How is your water not acidic or poisonous? How do you keep the insects off your fields? Here's what I'm suggesting: you give me information about the Valley, and I'll give you information about the Mulsa plant."

Nausicaa remained silent and considered his statement very carefully. Something was very unusual about his proposal...was that really all he wanted? Why was it so important a matter to him, that it was worth luring them into the Palace and then immediately capturing them?

"Why do you care?" She questioned suspiciously.

"Merinth is expanding rapidly. At the rate our population is growing, we will be at the border of the Toxic Jungle in less than ten years. We need to start developing new ways of life so that we can continue growing without being affected by the jungle." He explained. "Teach us your ways; tell us how to live in harmony with the poisonous spores and the Jungle insects." His voice turned mysterious and dangerously low. "I've heard you created a formula to cure the diseases of long term toxic exposure... we need that formula." Nausicaa snapped her head up.

"A cure for a cure."

"What?" He replied, uncharacteristically caught off guard.

"You give me Mulsa to cure Gullera, and I will give you the formula." He looked to the side with a dismal expression, and spoke unwaveringly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. The information I can give you, but the physical plant is not part of the bargain. It's too dangerous." She rolled her eyes and finally lost her patience.

"Why do you keep telling me that it's dangerous? It's a tiny non-motile plant that can do nothing but absorb sunlight and exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide!"

"Relax my dear, I will tell you many things about Mulsa, including that mystery - but only if you agree to your half of the bargain." His suave tone of voice was diplomatically reassuring.

She remained silent but continued stare icily across the table. Inside she was more than irritated; she and Asbel got arrested just to be solicited for so-called "secrets"? He could have simply asked her and she wouldn't hesitate to help him. They needed Mulsa quickly...and being in jail for an entirely different reason did not help. Nevertheless, some information about the plant was better than none at all; and most importantly time was against her.

"Fine." She said grudgingly. "Let's start now."

"What? Really?" He returned pleasantly surprised.

"Yes. Start asking questions."

"Well... I'm most glad to see your willingness, but I still have unfinished paperwork." He looked down at the pile of papers in an embarrassed manner, and in that split second Nausicaa mused at the candidacy of emotion in his response.

"I can wait. I have nothing else to do anyway."

"Very well." He replied, composure regained. "It'll take me a couple more minutes; feel free to walk around - make yourself at ease."

She took her granted liberties and confidently rose to explore the spacious office. Observing all of his strange wall art and numerous framed certificates commemorating great accomplishments, she concluded that he was quite an interesting person - versatile and talented. From peace treaties, to hand drawn sketches of innovative designs, to commemorative paintings of Merinth's historic milestones, he seemed to be adept in the sciences as well as in interpersonal communications. She just might have taken the time to become friends with him if she was not in such a compromised position and he didn't always act so annoyingly cunning.

"Allright. Thank you for your patience." He spoke up after about ten minutes. Quietly she sat back down opposite to him and her eyes exhibited businesslike alertness.

"A question for a question?" She asked, when he had finished filing his papers away and directed his attention to her.

"Sure." Came his affable reply. "And nothing but the truth."

"I'm not the one that has trouble adhering to that." She mildly berated him, recalling his deceptive statements from last night.

"You lack faith in my integrity." He returned, slightly insulted. "No matter; I'll start. Where do you draw uncontaminated water?" Nausicaa smiled kindly to that question.

"From undergroud reservoirs deep below the Toxic jungle, and filtered through the pure sands beneath the jungle. What is the scientific name of Mulsa?"

"If it has one I am not aware of it..." he paused as if trying to remember. "I'll ask when I get the chance and let you know."

She showed no change in facial expression but her eyes gave away her suspicion...Was he already withholding information from her? He seemed extremely knowledgable in terms of the sciences, so she doubted it was personal ignorance. Did it really not have a scientific name? Could it be so new a discovery that it wasn't named yet? Before she could think further into it he spoke up with another question.

"How do you store your water? Do spores ever float in to contaminate it?"

"We keep our water through an underground running system so that it is never stagnant, and wells serve as access points for villagers. The water flows throughout valley, powered by our wind mills. At certain points along the irrigation system we place filters to screen out any impure particles and maybe spores - but I don't believe we have ever had that problem." She paused to let the information sink in, before continuing with a question of her own. "Do you have a drawing of Mulsa? Is it considered a shrub, tree, bulb?"

"I believe I do..." He rose to walk towards a large cabinet containing hundreds of memos, letters, important documents, all organized neatly in alphabetical order. "In terms of plant category it is a shrub, although in my opinion it should be called a weed if weeds ever became a scientific category." He remarked as he started searching through the cabinet files.

"Ah, here it is." He declared, bringing a well worn, dusty grey folder over to the table. He opened the folder to reveal a small pile of clippings and memos related to Mulsa; Nausicaa scanned over them quickly, catching glimpses of botanical jargon and, unsurprisingly, plenty of phrases related to running medicinal products through a bureaucracy. Sifting through the many documents, he finally came across a small, hand drawn picture of a plant. Nausicaa leaned forward immediately, eyes intensely fixated on the picture. He carefully handed the picture to her, and she eagerly accepted it, acting as though it were a sacred manuscript.

All of her scientific faculties concentrated on the black lines before her, as her eyes absorbed every single detail. Flat leaves with a unique, ragged edge gave it a sense of hardiness, while straight slender stalks implied its tallness for a shrub. With a single glance at the numbers on the side she picked up dimensions of height, width, and stalk thickness, locking the information away into the most resilient spaces of her memory. She was born to be a scientist, with her meticulous attention to detail, drive to absorb information, and fascination for nature.

Instincts heightened in her brain, and she frowned. It looked vaguely familiar, yet somehow also entirely new. Had she met this plant before? No not possible, she thought to herself. It's supposed to only grow here... She mentally noted a bit of awkwardness in its proportions; it seemed relatively tall and lanky, with leaves sprawled out at the edges. No wonder Sarkil wanted to call it a weed. If asked to personify it, she would describe it as a teenage boy in the middle of an adolescent growth spur...awkwardly tall with limbs spread out a little too far.

"Thank you." She breathed gratefully and handed the drawing back to him, feeling truly relieved to at last put an image to her goal.

"You're welcome." He replied cordially. They continued the information exchange for another 20 minutes more; neither minded getting peppered with questions since the knowledge gained was far more rewarding. Near the end she asked one last question to clear up lingering suspicions on having seen Mulsa elsewhere.

"What kind of soil does Mulsa require to grow?"

"Soil rich in nitrates, which is very dark soil found only in these lands; and wet enough only in Merinth." He answered.

_Alright__ you're probably confusing it with some other plant,_ she told herself and left the matter alone.

Eventually they exhausted all the most burning questions on their minds and decided to continue the conversation later.

"Now I believe we should arrange another meeting to continue our 'question and answer' session; I do have to say I am learning very much from you. I have another deal to make with you: meet with my scientists tomorrow morning and show them your formula for curing toxic poisoning. In return I will set aside time in the afternoon, just for you to throw me the rest of your inquiries about Mulsa."

"Scientists?" She asked curiously, contemplating her potential new schedule.

"Yes; they're a fine bunch of botanists and chemists. Talented and extremely eager to learn new things - I have no doubt they will listen intently for something as valuable as your new cure."

She was undeniably intrigued - the Palace housed its own scientists? Was it a paid profession - a daily job? In the Valley everyone either farmed or produced tangible, useful everyday products... No one had the luxury to be a pure "scientist" - it was more of a mentality and approach to life. She imagined herself dropping everything and becoming a full-time "scientist" some day... That would be nice, but she would also be neglecting her duties as Princess and leader of the Valley. She shook herself out of her speculations and reminded herself that she was already a scientist at heart - labeling it as a profession made no difference. Perhaps these Merinthian scientists would be fun to work with, given the common interests. Suddenly another thought crossed her mind.

"I have one request." She bargained. Sarkil raised an eyebrow, listening.

"Leave my friends alone." The King of Merinth leaned back into his chair and narrowed his eyes at her.

"What do you mean?" He drawled carefully.

"Take off the search warrants for everyone, and don't touch Asbel." Impressed, the man gave a strange smirk. His opponent was quite sharp indeed; he anticipated a fun game of military strategy with her.

"The situation is more threatening than you realize and it needs to be contained." He reaffirmed, watching her purse her lips into a thin line. After a few seconds of silence she acceded.

"Fine. But they must not be harmed, otherwise I'm not cooperating."

"You have a deal." He wasn't planning on murdering anyone in cold blood either; he just needed them all in one place as opposed to running loose across Merinth.

"Guards will come tomorrow morning to take you to meet the scientists, and also in the afternoon when I am free to speak with you. You are welcome to spend the rest of the day in the Conservatory with the scientists. In fact, you are free to walk anywhere, as long as you do not leave the Palace." He added. "Think of it as house arrest."

"Thank you." She replied politely, showing only a small portion of the gratitude that she felt; boredom could kill her as easily as a gun. Sarkil's faculties of observation had clearly helped him reach that conclusion already, because he looked up and gave her a knowing smile.

"You're welcome." He replied as she exited the room. When he was alone once more his face turned startlingly sinister and he frowned deep in thought. He quickly began devising a new plan to ultimately ensure his victory.

* * *

><p>"What did he want?" Asbel was still awake, eagerly waiting for her by the time Nausicaa returned to the cell. It was just barely past midnight.<p>

"Secrets of the Valley, he said." She responded sardonically, even accessorizing the phrase with air quotes.

"What?" Asbel was stunned enough to be confused.

"That's what I said. Honestly, he could have just asked me and I would've told him the first time - needless to say twelve hours and a prison cell later. But he wants to know how we live so close to the Toxic Jungle without getting killed." She sighed. "Sorry; we got stalled because he wanted information from me." She lowered herself onto the bench where he sat.

"So we're not in jail because of Mulsa?" He clarified, still trying to make sense of Sarkil's actions.

"We are; he's just taking the opportunity to get what he wants. In exchange I'm receiving information about Mulsa." She observed a tiny spark of excitement light up his hazel eyes, as though a single candle flame had been lit to cast a dull amber glow against the wooden walls of a dark room.

"That's great." He genuinely enthused as hope reignited in his heart.

"Tomorrow I get to work with scientists in the Conservatory," she piped up rather enthusiastically. "I'm showing them the formula for the cure, and then in the afternoon I get to interrogate Sarkil again about Mulsa." She ended with a devilish grin, while Asbel couldn't restrain a bemused smile at the display of an aggressive side to her.

"So that's what took you so long; another hour and you might have bargained your way out of Merinth." the Pejite teased.

"We're making progress." She retorted, a confident smile just tugging slightly at her lips.

"No, you're making progress. I'm just pacing around the cell." Nausicaa chuckled, clearly picturing her Asbel pathetically moping around the enclosure. She treated him to a gentle look of pity when she remembered how much he detested being powerless. She needed to put him to work.

"You're gonna have to help me predict his motives. He's being too nice; I think he's got something nasty up his sleeve."

"I'm down to playing mind games now?" He whined sarcastically and Nausicaa emitted a burst of laughter, relieved to see his humor had returned. The light atmosphere effectively dissipated the tension of the day, and soon she could barely stand against the exhaustion that swept over her. The princess succumbed to a yawn and slouched against the wall. When she tilted her head to the side she caught him quietly and unashamedly watching her, a smile touching his face. Her own heart warmed to moments like these, and her eyes softened in affection. Sweetly smiling back, she gazed into his expressive eyes - enchanting amber seas full of warmth and adoration.

"Sleepy?" He coaxed, lifting his hand to gently brush a wisp of stray auburn hair behind her ear. She nodded meekly, all outer walls of composure removed to reveal a weary, innocent, and vulnerable girl.

"Time for bed." He said soothingly, as he took her hand and led a slightly amused Nausicaa over to the straw mattress farther back in the cell. She didn't object and simply let him take her by the hand. Only around him did she ever begin to act this docile; with everyone else she was naturally independent, full of drive and authority. Her mature, motherly personality hadn't changed after meeting Asbel, but she realized how nice it felt to be pampered by someone else every once in a while. It was her way of showing him how much she loved him, trusting him enough to let him see all sides of her.

Asbel of course was fascinated by all contrasting facets of her personality, and her most vulnerable moments would without fail draw out his protective instincts. He knew she was more than competent, but that didn't stop him from constantly keeping an eye on her. He liked taking care of her anyway. They reached the corner and began adjusting the bed.

"I just feel guilty that I can't help you." He continued, his mind haunted by the issue. She looked up at him, surprised.

"We all have our own jobs, and this is mine. You'll already be fulfilling yours simply by being with me, and by staying put in this cell."

"But it was my sick mother in the first place." He returned, still unable to reconcile with his conscience. Touched by his concern, Nausicaa reached over and firmly planted a kiss on his cheek.

"It involves both our countries; it's my responsibility as well." She reminded him as they both settled down flat on the bed. It was barely large enough to fit both of them resting shoulder to shoulder, resulting in a relatively snug configuration.

She took one look at him and couldn't resist the urge to cuddle; she was a girl after all. Within a few seconds she snuggled into him and rested her head on his chest. Fully aware he was watching her curl as far as possible into him, she frankly didn't care if she looked like a kitten nestling into a pillow - being this close to him had sparked a sudden yearning for contact. Her ear, pressed into him, picked up the strong sound of his steady heartbeat, and her arm slipped around his torso, hugging him tightly to herself. When she was satisfied with her position she inhaled deeply, registered his alluring scent, and sighed contentedly. The whole time he had been smiling lovingly down at her and waiting in patience for her to finish.

"Comfortable?" He finally inquired, before placing his arm around her.

"You have no idea." She sighed.

She wasn't lying either. It honestly gave her a feeling unlike anything before... so satisfying and secure. Who had ever thought she would crave physical closeness so fiercely, need anyone so badly? She lived so many years in solitude, found peace in nature, companions in insects. She received love from her people, parents, Lord Yupa, and Tersa... since when did she need the attention of a single someone - more specifically a man? She wondered for a couple moments until alas, she realized it shouldn't be surprising at all; she had loved so much her entire life - it was her natural resource. She had given herself to so many and devoted herself to humans and animals alike. Nothing had changed in her, except the love she had so freely given out now desired to center on one person and one person alone. She supposed the many years of adult-like independence had also left her somewhat lonely; her status and warm character had brought her many acquaintances but no one truly close to her other than Tersa, and maybe Jack.

She was pulled out of her reflections by a warm, low rumble. Realizing he was chuckling at her, she smiled and closed her eyes to feel the sound vibrating through his chest. Occasionally he ran his hand along her back, sending her chills to the base of her spine. Eventually he began play with her hair, making her deliciously drowsy.

"Goodnight." He said after a while of silence, tilting his head down to softly place a kiss in her hair.

Feeling safe in his arms she had already fallen asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh I love writing Nausicaa and Asbel...! I should just start a series of one-shot drabbles of these two. Hope you didn't mind me momentarily turning into a romance writer on you readers. ^_^<strong>

**Really apologize for the long gaps my dearest friends, but life has been so full of activity (it's a blessing really) and hardly any spare time. Truth be told, I'm a college student majoring in an engineering discipline - so please excuse my long absences! This fanfic is my favorite way to retain the art of speaking haha... now that I'm out of school I'm definitely trying to finish writing this fanfic. Thank you for sticking with me so long on this adventure of mine; I'm gonna miss writing this fanfic when it ends. But fear not, it's nowhere near done yet! :P**

**Also forgive me if my next chapter takes a while... hopefully just a day or two. I write really slowly now thanks to all my math and science classes. It's not writer's block per se... more like writer's delay, haha. Cheers and love you all. :))**


	14. Of Mulsa and Men

**AN: Got some exciting surprises coming your way. ;)**

**Disclaimers: Nausicaa is not mine... and in my opinion underappreciated. Isn't it Miyazaki's first movie? Came out in the 1980s I believe...**

**Date: 6/20/13**

* * *

><p>Chapter 14: Of Mulsa and Men<p>

She awoke to the luxurious sensation of being held by Asbel, who overnight had managed to wrap both his arms possessively around her waist. Now her back was pressed into his chest, pulling her deep into his embrace. When she arched back slightly by way of a stretch she felt the muscles in his strong frame and gratefully absorbed the intimacy. Along her back and everywhere his skin touched hers she could feel his body heat, radiating out of him and keeping her warm in the morning chill of their stony abode.

She gently turned around to face him, trying not to disturb him. He stirred but did not wake; she took a moment to memorize his features. Deep set eyes, a striking nose, strong cheekbones, and a resolute jawline gave him a rugged appearance that was softened by full lips and a gentle mouth that curved slightly. Again she noted how lovely he looked when he wasn't frowning about something.

Her hand reached out to lightly stroke his hair, but with not more than a feathery brush. Although she did not want to wake him she simply couldn't restrain herself from touching him. Lazily he slid open one eye at her - an absolutely adorable move, and she succumbed to the motherly sentiment that swelled in her. He must have noticed her change in emotion, as his lips curved up into a sweet smile and a boyish twinkle appeared in his eyes.

"Morning." She whispered and affectionately touched her lips to his forehead.

"Morning," he replied in a hoarse voice. "Sleep well?"

She happily hummed an affirmation.

"Ready to meet those scientists?" He posed when he was awake enough to recall the agenda of the day.

"A little nervous..." she confessed plainly, staring at the nearby wall.

"Why?" He propped himself up on one elbow and tried to look concernedly at her, but the residual sleepiness altered it into a rather goofy expression. Nausicaa laughed inwardly at the sight.

"They might not like me." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Since when did you care what other people thought of you?"

"Never; but it would be helpful." Experience taught her that life was always better when you liked the people around you.

"Well, even if you hate them you only need to work with them this once. But I'm betting you will get along just fine." In fact he didn't just bet - he felt 100% sure that Nausicaa would like them. Her love for nature was stronger than anyone's he had seen his entire life; if these scientists shared her enthusiasm she would undoubtedly overlook all differences with her giving personality. He smiled reassuringly at her, and she eventually mirrored the expression.

In good time the gentle giant of a guard that brought her to jail the very first time came back to pick her up today.

"Good morning Jason! Just you today?" She piped up energetically.

"Yes." His low voice resounded. He wasn't very talkative but Nausicaa still enjoyed striking up conversations with him every time he escorted her to places. There was no reason to be hostile when he had a good heart inside; this guard singularly treated her as a fellow human being and not a criminal. After giving Asbel a quick hug she was on her way to start the day.

The prince frowned at her retreating figure and shook his head. That girl certainly had her methods of getting to know everyone...

* * *

><p>"Hey Jason, do you know how many scientists there are in the Conservatory?" She inquired of her 'bodyguard.' A pinch of anxiety combined uncomfortably with the excitement in her... there were so many unknown variables in the morning before her! How many people would she collaborate with? How old were they? What were they like?<p>

"About 20." He responded.

"Have they been working there all their lives?" She felt apprehensive of 'teaching' people that were more qualified than her.

"Some began as caretakers of the plants at a very young age," he droned. "Others gained experience elsewhere before becoming a Scientist."

"They sound very knowledgeable." She murmured.

"As are you." he encouraged, and Nausicaa smiled appreciatively. But what exactly did a Scientist do? It sounded so vague and mysterious, yet highly prestigious... Making a mental note to observe and ask around, she planned on creating something of her own when she returned to the Valley. Her own lab back at home could use some help.

They threaded through some more underground tunnels and arrived at a stone staircase, atop of which stood an imposing white metal door. The door was locked, and Jason stepped forward with the key. Once the lock turned, Nausicaa watched intently as the door momentously heaved open. Angelically white rays of bright sunlight filtered through, and suddenly her senses were assaulted by the refreshing fragrance of foliage, the sounds of trickling water, and the dampness of the humid greenhouse air.

She stepped through the doorwary like a wide-eyed traveler entering paradise. In wonder her eyes absorbed every little detail around her. Plants! There were so many plants! Rows upon rows, left and right, high and low. Plants placed in pots, sectioned in boxes, dangling from baskets, floating in ponds - all neatly labeled and categorized. Her eyes then wandered to the water hoses, faucets, sinks, shelves, shovels and benches. Seeing the flames and glassware lying on the smooth marble countertops, she concluded the benches served as the place where most of the medicinal chemistry was conducted.

"Ah. You must be Nausicaa." Someone uttered nearby. A man in his fifties with grayish hair appeared in one of the rows and began walking over.

"Yes," she affirmed. In other the corner of her eyes Jason had begun to retreat towards the door. She whirled around to holler a brief goodbye.

"Thank you Jason!" The tall guard gracefully turned around.

"Princess." Was his short answer as he smiled warmly, gave a slight bow, and left. Nausicaa switched her attention back to the man approaching her, who had now extended a hand and a cordial smile to her.

"Welcome to the Conversatory. My name is Kirkham, though most people call me K. I serve as head Scientist here." He carried himself with a slight air of authority and intelligence, but did not exhibit pride.

"Nice to meet you." She cheerfully returned and accepted the handshake.

"Follow me; I'll introduce you to rest of us you'll be working with today." He led her away from the edge of the conservatory, towards the central domed wing. Nausicaa continued to admire the aesthetics of the building. She had seen it once during the night, but it most definitely did not compare to the majesty and absolute splendor displayed in the daylight. The white wooden frames glowed brilliantly under the sun, the glass sparkled like diamonds under spotlight, and the breathing, vividly colorful plants brought a sense of vitality to an otherwise still-life structure of perfection. Before long she had reached a small circle of about five people that had gathered together and were simply chatting with one another. Many smiled amiably when they noticed the two approaching.

"Everyone, this is Nausicaa." Kirkham spoke up as they came to stand before the group.

Nausicaa briefly surveyed all of their faces and found mostly a sort of kindly curiosity. The Scientists had heard of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind of course; she was a legend - known for her courage, self sacrifice and unparalleled understanding of the seemingly vindictive forces of nature. Now that they were meeting her, they beheld a strange young girl - not more than seventeen or eighteen. Her eyes, however, told of wisdom from ages past, and she carried a unique air of confidence, beauty, innocence, and maturity.

Starting at the left, Kirkham extended an arm in the direction of a young girl with a ponytail to begin formal introductions.

"This is Taryn." Upon cue the female Scientist grinned excitedly and leaped forward.

"It's so nice to finally meet you! I've heard so much about you!" She enthused. From the moment the girl energetically clasped Nausicaa's hand, Nausicaa knew she had found a friend in this warm and slightly hyperactive individual.

Next to greet her was an elderly man in his seventies; his back humped slightly and his gnarled hands showed years of hard work. But when he smiled his eyes twinkled, and Nausicaa could tell his mind had not in the least been negatively affected by time - only enhanced by wisdom and much experience.

"This is Hammond," Kirkham spoke of the sage. "He's technically retired, but he still likes to hang around... he's practically lived at the Conservatory his whole life."

"Keeps me from rusting." The witty man added, sending her a wink.

Then Nausicaa learned the names of the last two men in their small circle: Stafford and Camden. Stafford appeared young, about 24, with a youthful face that looked almost boyish. His eyes were hesitant to show emotion; from his shy greeting Nausicaa gathered he was rather quiet and reserved. Camden, on the other hand, seemed slightly older and openly warm. He greeted her with an enthusiastic smile, while his other animated expressions pointed toward a lively personality. From the way his bright eyes danced across the room it was obvious he had a sharp, observant mind. Kirkham, the natural leader of the gang, spoke up once more.

"Let's get started with your cure. The plants are grouped in regions by their climate, then listed alphabetically. Tell us what plants you need, and we can help you gather them."

And thus began Nausicaa's unique project: working with a group of strangers towards one specific goal, regardless of differences in nationality, personality, and age. Within minutes Nausicaa felt entirely at home with these people; the researchers turned out to be incredibly agreeable, as well as respectful of each others talents. From the descriptions of their regular projects, Nausicaa easily observed that these individuals truly acted as a team: building on each others' discoveries, contributing constructive criticism, and sharing each others' enthusiasm for research. By the fourth plant in Nausicaa's recipe they had overcome the initial awkward interactions and relaxed to discuss seemingly boring subjects with great passion, even throwing out occasional science jokes. At the moment they were in a heated discussion about which of two plants served as the more effective anti anxiety agent when Taryn broke out a whine.

"Aw, my Miltonia orchid is dying..." She complained tiredly, pointing at a plant with yellowing leaves as they walked through the myriads of rows of vegetation. "Do you think it needs more water?"

"Put it in the wet tropics section and see if it improves," Kirkham suggested. "I'm sure it'll get enough water there."

"I hope so..." She returned. "I've been watering it almost five times a day."

"Wow... just put it with the pond lilies..." drawled Stafford, though his unchanging slight smile and politely mirthful tone implicated he was joking. The group chuckled lightly and continued with their work.

"I dare you to sneeze." Hammond challenged jokingly, when they stopped in front of a very puffy, spore-bearing Calvatia plant.

"Stand across me first, and then I'll sneeze." Taryn bounced back mischievously.

Interestingly enough they had never heard of removing toxicity from the jungle plants via pure underground water. In fact they possessed only limited expertise in the plants thriving in the Sea of Decay, and rightly so since they lived so far away from it. At the moment their small selection of Toxic Jungle plants grew in it's own section, with its own ventilation system, far away from all other plants. Nausicaa took the time to demonstrate her methods of safely growing them, and provided some additional information about the most prevalent species.

"You ought to stay here and be our expert in Toxic Jungle; we could use your help! Right K?" Camden exclaimed to Nausicaa, clearly in awe of her extensive knowledge.

"Of course. I would guarantee a spot for you, should you decide to stay in Merinth." Kirkham answered with a warm smile.

"I'm honored!" She enthused in return. "I really would stay, but I'm currently on a mission... when my task is done, and if my country can handle a couple years without me, I will gladly join you!" Her heart thrilled at the idea of working all day, everyday with these like-minded soul friends she had finally found.

"Out of curiosity, what brought you to Merinth in the first place?" Kirkham asked.

"I came here looking for a plant called Mulsa; it's supposed to cure a very rare sickness that is slowly killing close friends of mine in the Valley and in nearby Pejite." The scientists nodded at her reply.

"It sounds familiar; we might have it. Is that why you're here at the Conservatory?"

"Yes, though I doubt Sarkil will even let me get my hands on it." When Kirkham sent her a questioning glance she willingly elaborated. She had nothing to hide anyway.

"He put me under house arrest when I told him I wanted it. Either Mulsa is inexplicably dangerous, or he is just stalling me."

"House arrest!" Camden exclaimed indignantly. "What a shameful way to treat a guest like you. I'm sorry we've been so unwelcoming." he asserted then gave her a sympathetic look; from the lingering scowl Nausicaa could tell he was far from pleased. By this time the girl strongly concluded that Sarkil was the single irritable rascal in Merinth.

"Hmm. House arrest sounds serious." Kirkham mumbled, brows furrowed. "I'll look into it when I get a chance."

"No need, K. I know all about it." Everyone turned their attention to Hammond, who gingerly rose up from tending his row of foliage and walked over.

"You know about it?" Nausicaa asked excitedly.

"I witnessed the whole ordeal two months after assuming my position as a scientist here. I tell you the plant is cursed." He pronounced gravely.

"Can you tell me what happened to it?" Nausicaa pleaded.

"Of course!" He replied warmly, then added, "After we finish this." Exaggeratedly bending towards her, he brought a hand to his face to divulge a valuable secret in her direction. A comical smirk and mischievous glance appeared on his face when he uttered his "classified" information loud enough for everyone to hear. "In a nutshell the plant was caught amidst a feud between Sarkil and his brother." Nausicaa played along and jokingly widened her eyes as if she had just seen a flying ohm. In all honesty however, her outward demeanor was not far from inward reality...

* * *

><p>At the crack of dawn Kitson awoke and crawled out of his shelter. After leaving the Palace yesterday he spent the rest of the afternoon roaming the city in the heat of the midday sun, searching for Yupa and Tersa. When he had tired himself out from the extensive walking, he swifty nabbed a sandwich from a food cart on a crowded street and looked for a place to stay overnight. With his exceptional survival skills he found a sufficiently secure lodging place in a sturdy shack behind a restaurant. He even wielded some manipulative innocence so the owners took pity on him and threw him some blankets to fight the cold. He never enjoyed scrounging for necessities but years of practice meant he could do it flawlessly.<p>

Now, late in the morning, he strolled through the marketplace scanning for signs of his friends. With his keen eyesight he expected to find them eventually; Yupa was difficult to miss with that huge hat of his and tomboy Tersa had a uniquely tall, thin, but strong frame. When the streets began to burst with commotion from travelers, shoppers, and workers, the boy clambered up onto a rooftop for a better view. It was around early afternoon when he finally spotted them resting outside a general store. Kitson noticed they had kept themselves busy by restocking their supplies for the trip home.

"Kitson!" Tersa exclaimed in surprise when he saw the child making his way over to them. "What are you doing here? Where's Nausicaa and Asbel?"

"In jail." He replied bluntly. No time to sugarcoat. Tersa swore under her breath, and Yupa's mustache turned downwards in a grim fashion.

"What happened?" Yupa inquired soberly.

"The first night we entered the Palace we met King Sarkil. We slept like royalty in the best rooms, and the next morning they prepared to arrest us; I slipped out as soon as I could. They knew beforehand we were looking for Mulsa."

"We need to get them out," Yupa declared. "Sarkil obviously didn't consider diplomacy as an option. We will most likely have to use force."

"C'mon Kitson." Tersa called, already on her feet, bags packed, and eyes fiery like a hound's with prey in sight. "Sarkil's going to regret ever laying a finger on them." She snarled aggressively.

* * *

><p>Nausicaa almost didn't want to leave when guards came in the afternoon. They had already finished the formula and had spent the last few hours simply working and conversing alongside each other. Upon saying goodbye she received a quick hug from Taryn, who then urged her to come back again someday.<p>

"I will. I want to." She promised the Scientist; her own eyes full of the same bittersweet expression. People this similar to her were rare and few, and she vowed to never lose contact with them.

On her way to Sarkil she quickly reminded herself of the serious task at hand: find and get Mulsa. Today was the day to get all the answers. Time to find out what in the name of the Wind made the plant so dangerous. Why Sarkil's brother had anything to do with the plant.

The King of Merinth sat at his desk, basically in the same position she had last seen him. He looked up with the usual cunningly suave smile.

"Ah; you're back. How was it working with them?"

"Fun." She returned quite happily. _You're the only one I have trouble working with,_ she retorted in her head.

"I'm glad. Again, thank you for teaching us. Now in return... fire away with your questions." He folded his hands and waited patiently.

"Allright." Nausicaa readied herself - time to get to the bottom of the matter. "Was Mulsa ever sold in the past?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"That will take me too long to answer; please refine the question." She sighed inwardly to herself; must they be in yes or no format too?

"Why do you not let people use Mulsa now?"

"You know this; it's too dangerous a plant."

"What is so dangerous about it?" She asked him for the twentieth time. Her eyes pinned him against the chair; she had delivered her half of the bargain, which meant it was now his turn. The king seemed to have read her mind as he smiled and nodded in acknowledgement.

"It grows aggressively, choking and killing all other plants that live near it." Given Sarkil's evasive behaviors, Nausicaa suspected the statement was only half true, and thought critically of the information before her next question.

"Why do we not see forests of Mulsa everywhere then?"

"Because we contain it, within closed spaces and in isolation from other plants."

"How exactly did you find it in the wild?"

"We didn't." Nausicaa abruptly halted her train of thoughts. What? They did NOT find it in the wild? That made no sense!

"It is a plant, is it not?"

"Yes."

"Then how did it come to exist?" She questioned seriously, barely able to piece together all the random facts thrown at her thus far. Either he was not telling the truth, or there was something very wrong with Mulsa. She watched confusedly as an approving smile spread across Sarkil's features.

"You've finally hit the treasure Nausicaa. Now don't you think you need a break from asking all these questions?" The girl glared up at him warily while Sarkil continued. "I'll make another deal with you: I am more than happy to explain the entire story of Mulsa to you if you first answer me just one all-important question. Where did you meet Kerlin?"

Again she was dumbstruck by his foreknowledge. She told herself to be extremeley careful; the precariousness of the situation should never be underestimated when your enemy knows absolutely everything about you, including where you've been.

"You know him?" She asked, trying to hide her bewilderment deep within her.

"He is of royal blood." He enunciated coldly, scowling at the thought.

"What will you do to him if I tell you?" She asked worriedly.

"Oh nothing harmful; after all he is my brother. We have a bit of a brotherly love-hate relationship. I need to remind him to stop messing with the affairs of the country he willingly left behind." He announced somewhat bitterly, staring menacingly at the wall. "Tell me where you found him and I will reveal the rest of Mulsa's history to you." He coaxed, giving her a sidelong glance.

"He lives in Belden Swamp, next to the Toxic Jungle." She uttered resignedly, then hoped nothing detrimental would come to Kerlin.

"Ah... thank you my dear. Now about the plant!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: how'd I do? Haha again sorry that my updates take so long, but I realize that writing can't be rushed... Whenever I try to force it out my dialogues come out really gross... so I gotta wait for it to come to me ;) thanks for being so patient.<strong>

**PS if you wanna know how I imagine the Conservatory, google 'sf conservatory of flowers'. haha it took me a while to realize that I was basing my descriptions off of this building... I've been there before, a long time ago and that association has never left me. What buildings come to your mind for the Conservatory? **


	15. Secrets Revealed

**AN: ok so I admit even I feel like the story's been dragging... But we're almost there! Ps I started a new set of light, cute Nausicaa/Asbel drabbles! Its called 'Eternal as the Wind', and writing a couple of those stories resurrected my passion for this fanfic haha! Take a break from here and check it out! There's not very many yet, but I'm workin on it!**

**Date: 7/9/13**

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><p><strong>Chapter 15 Secrets Revealed<strong>

"How much did Kerlin tell you about mulsa? About its origins?" Sarkil launched immediately into what would become a lengthy account of the past. Nausicaa simply remained silent; she had waited days for this information and did not plan on interrupting him anytime soon.

"Did you know that mulsa was a new species developed by man, not found naturally in the wild? It was created right here, inside the Conservatory. During the glorious days of science, when we thought we could fix anything, cure any sickness, take anything from the wilderness and alter it for our benefit." He threw a sidelong glance at her and flashed a knowing smirk that sharply contrasted the shocked frown on Nausicaa's features. He clearly enjoyed the consternation he was effecting upon the listener.

"Yes Nausicaa. mulsa is man made, a mutant form of the _cyathea temulsa_ plant." He declared loudly.

The Princess had never even considered altering what the earth gave up; who knew that was even possible? It shocked her beyond her wits and at the moment she didn't know whether to marvel at such a novel idea or gape in terror at committing such a crime against Nature.

"Gullera had reared it's ugly head at Merinth hundreds of times, until our nation was tired of its games." He explained. "We knew of temulsa, an interesting plant that lived in the Sea of Decay. Injured jungle insects will often solely devour the plant, and the leaves were then observed to heal the ailments. While the insects are immune to the jungle toxins inherently within the plant, humans are not. My brother, a leading scientist here in the Conservatory, sought to convert it into a non-toxic plant, conserving its healing properties for human use. He performed the mutation successfully here in the Conservatory, and behold mulsa was born."

"But how? How did he do it?" She bounced back almost disbelievingly, still grappling with the information. Pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together: it had no scientific name because it was not a natural species. It boasted awkward dimensions and looked inexplicably strange because it wasn't even a product of mother nature. Not a single botanist in Merinth could recognize the name because it had never been found in the wild.

"A mixture of grafting and inventive treatment of the seeds and roots." Sarkil answered. "The idea had existed from before the Seven Days of Fire, and was miraculously preserved within ancient instruction manuals. Kerlin had been experimenting on it for some time and this was the first time he tried it on an entire plant." Silence hovered for a few moments as the Princess continued to absorb and accept. When she finally felt ready to hear more, she quietly spoke up.

"But the mutant was too aggressive," she prompted. He nodded soberly.

"No matter what variations we tried in the chemicals or plant materials, the results were the same. Intrusive, hostile mulsa plants arose, greedily hoarded all nutrients, killed nearby vegetation, and spread like weeds. It had to be stopped."

"But can mulsa cure Gullera?"

"Yes. mulsa contains all the right medicinal properties to cure the sickness."

"Then why couldn't you think of a way around mulsa's invasiveness?" She questioned anxiously, her voice strained to a higher pitch than normal. "For example grow it within the Conservatory and keep it out of unskilled hands?"

"That is exactly what my brother suggested. He thought the effectiveness of the cure was worth the risk of mulsa spreading beyond our control. A close friend of ours had a wife and daughter dying from Gullera, so naturally Kerlin wanted to push forward the production of the cure."

"And you disagreed?"

"Yes. In such a large country as this, it would only be a matter of time before a single mulsa seed would find its way into outside soil and destroy everything. We have an obligation to protect the flora residing on Merinthian soil. Man-made plants do not have a place in the land." She observed the hard look in his eyes and began to see his logic, but still...

"Did they die?" She asked in a half whisper.

"Of course." He uttered rather emotionlessly in contrast to the grimace of pain on the girl's face.

"Did Kerlin leave or did you exile him?" She inquired, the tiniest hint of accusation now creeping into her voice.

"Of course he left on his own!" He responded in his defense, then gave a mischievous smile. "With a little bit of prodding from me of course... I first let the woman and her daughter die, and had already imprisoned the husband when he attempted to forcibly take mulsa. My stubborn brother also would not give up the idea of altering toxic plants, so I took away his research, lab space, and funding." A semi-thoughtful expression floated over his features. "I suppose he didn't really have a choice."

Nausicaa's head, heart and soul dragged heavily downward into sorrow, while disgust began to rise within her. Everything amounted to a terrifying nightmare: an originally exciting cure by scientific invention, turned into a gruesome clash of values, a fight for power, deaths of loved ones, and severing of brotherly ties. How Sarkil could be so cruel and years later still regurgitate the account painlessly was beyond her.

"What happened to mulsa?" She asked urgently. When she saw the wicked look of satisfaction in his disturbing olive green eyes she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer. In fact she most definitely was not prepared for the response.

"I destroyed it all." He returned cooly.

"What!?" Nausicaa shrieked. "All of it?"

"Every last one." Sarkil answered, now a serious expression on his face as Nausicaa searched him for signs of a joke.

"No..." She sputtered out. Her head spun wildly and she clenched her fists to refrain bringing a hand up to fight the dizziness. A wave of resentful anger washed over her.

"And this whole time... why didn't you tell me earlier?" She snarled.

"What difference would it have made?"

"Time; time to find another cure."

"Too bad. It's gone." He uttered coldly; she gritted her teeth as her blood began to boil vivaciously... All the hours spent in jail and the day wasted in the Conservatory! Precious time that had slipped out of her hands never to return again, soon to determine life and death. Of course he'd tell her this after she delivered her formula for her cure. Malice of this magnitude was absolutely uncalled for and intolerable.

"Still not convinced? Go look for it yourself." Sarkil taunted, his languid expression daring her to go ahead.

His nonchalant tone of voice incited her further, and Nausicaa used all her energy to concentrate on breathing to quiet her rage. Heaving ragged breaths with much difficulty, she barely pulled herself together enough to restrain lunging at the man lazily seated in front of her. The plant (or the non-existence of it) was far more important than exacting revenge and she reminded herself of her priorities. Sending one last murderous glare at the king she whirled around and stormed out of the room. She did not see the wicked smile on Sarkil's face; all was going according to his plan.

* * *

><p>"Hammond! I need your help." A fuming Nausicaa flew towards him; the old man looked worriedly at the girl that was nothing but cheerful an hour ago.<p>

"Nausicaa. What is it?"

"Is there a single mulsa plant remaining within these walls?" She demanded, fury melting away to reveal deep seated persistence. Resolve had taken root deep within her, and she refused to give up - not until she had personally gone through every green item in Merinth.

"What?"

"Sarkil said all of it was destroyed. Is that true?" The old man stopped his work and looked up quietly, hesitation apparent in his eyes. Dread increased exponentially for every second that ticked past.

"There's one left." He said finally. "We saved it for cataloguing purposes." Upon hearing those words relief visibly flooded her grateful soul like a sudden rainstorm over parched land.

"Do you know where it is?" She gasped.

"No my dear; I wouldn't remember it if anyone ever told me. It's probably been moved around hundreds of times too."

"I think it's in Section R2, room 8." Stafford remarked. His eyes exhibited a strange blank look, but Nausicaa did not care.

"Thank you." She returned, and exhaled deeply to calm herself.

"Nausicaa, the plant is in a restricted section." Hammond warned her. "Few people are allowed to enter the room, much less take anything out. I won't help you steal it, and I would discourage you from trying."

"He's right." Kirkham joined in. "Anything else out here in the open I wouldn't hesitate to let you collect a sample, but mulsa is meant to be hidden. If Sarkil told you there were none left, for whatever reason he obviously does not want you to have it. Please be careful what you do; he is known to be extremely obstinate, to the point of cruelty at times."

"I know what he can do." She growled irritably, then grunted a heavy sigh to release the frustration within her. She spent a couple more minutes darkly sulking through the Conservatory, before wandering through the rest of the Palace. As she was about to leave, however, she approached an inconspicuous glass window in the corner of the building, and unlocked the lever.

_Just in case I decide to come back, _she told herself, and left through the front entrance.

She gradually made her way through the gardens, and strolled in between buildings. The entire time she was hardly aware of the sights and attractions passing before her; rather she was preoccupied with the debate raging in her head. That liar! What was the point? Jail her, extract information about the Valley, stall her by feeding her facts about mulsa, give her a heart attack by telling her mulsa was destroyed? And then have her find out from the scientists that one plant was left? _Maybe the Scientists were lying._ But why would they lie to her? No, they were trustworthy, straightforward folks; they also couldn't all corroborate the same falsity. _Then why did Sarkil lie?_ Her head was still spinning from the illogical set of events, but she promptly chose to assume that mulsa still existed... Truth or not that was the only decision she could make - the only presumption she could act upon.

For the next hour she considered all possible subsequent moves. First, she could ask Hammond to grab her a small sample: a leaf or a twig. The majority of the plant would remain untouched in the restricted section, and she could take the sample home to cultivate into a new plant. But the entire growing process would require about a month; it would be too late.

Her second option was to grab temulsa out of the jungle and purify it in her lab. But even that would take a couple weeks to ensure all toxins had washed out of the plant veins. Flowers and spores had to be grown out and cut off - definitely not enough time for that.

That left her with only one path - the one tracing back to the Conservatory. She slowly and carefully developed her reasoning as she came closer to her decision. Life - human life was the utmost important. The girl hesitated about compromising the ecosystem, but reconciled her conscience with pledged precautions to not release mulsa into the wild. If people were dying, the security of the ecosystem did not stand as a strong enough reason to refrain from using the only available cure. She would still cultivate temulsa into mulsa when she reached the Valley, and use up the last of the mutant before any of it could grow outdoors - her high regard for mulsa had diminished dramatically into mild repulsion anyway. And of course, time was the ultimate factor in her choice. The plant leaves needed to be in her hands when she reached Asbel's mother, to rescue the woman from Gullera's deathly grip.

"That settles it. Just don't get caught..." She muttered to herself, then began making her way back towards the Conservatory.

* * *

><p>She prowled around the building like a lioness waiting for the right opportunity to strike. By the time the last worker had left the building the night had fallen, to her advantage. As she reached the window she worried it may have been locked again, but when she gave a firm push it slid open smoothly.<p>

Noiselessly she slipped through the opening. There were no alarms. The place was shrouded in complete darkness save for the emergency lamps lit along the hallways, casting a ghostly light across the skeleton of the building.

_Section R2, room 8_, she told herself. With the precision she crept through the rows, eyeing each section label until she arrived at her destination: R2 stood before her as a collection of actual rooms, each compartment walled off from all other plants. A tiny square window on the door served as the single means of seeing the inside. When she glanced at the room numbers nailed next to the doors and found number eight, the look of determination in her eyes intensified a hundred fold and she swiftly neared the room with soldier-like efficiency. Without hesitation she laid her hand on the doorknob and gave it a resolute twist. It was locked.

She scanned around her for utensils to pick the lock. Benches! She hastily scavenged a pair of pliers, a fork, and a metal striker she presumed was used for sparking flames. Tersa had insisted on teaching her how to pick locks a couple years back; at the time Nausicaa didn't think it was necessary, but now realized how valuable a skill it was. She'd have to thank her later.

The girl fumbled around a couple times, feeling her way through the grooves within the lock. The internal mechanism turned out to be relatively similar to the locks at home, so after a couple twists and clicks the groves rotated freely. She shoved the door open, ready to claim her long awaited prize.

The room lay completely empty. Nausicaa reeled back in shock. _No; it's supposed to be in here._ Look again, under the shelves, below the table. Nothing. She went outside, checked the door number. _Number 8; that's correct. _Go back in and look again. Still nothing.

She had been tricked.

Her worst fears turned into reality when out of nowhere guards stormed into the room. The clink of rifles and thuds of footsteps rudely broke the silence of the darkness, as Nausicaa stood there completely terrorized, caught within their iron grip.

At that instant she realized that they had been waiting for her all along. They knew she would try to break in and steal it. Her thoughts jumbled in her mind as she tried to piece together how that mastermind had devised this decoy and lured her into coming here. As the guards bound her and led her away she was too confused to think straight, too stunned to resist.

Hallways and stairs whizzed before her in a blur. By the time she had somewhat recovered her faculties she found herself in a room alone; from the decor she surmised it was the main office building...she did not need to guess who would be visiting her soon.

* * *

><p>"So you fell for it, didn't you." Sarkil stood before her about half an hour later, a smug expression plastered to his face.<p>

"Is mulsa still here or not?" She demanded impatiently; at this point she didn't care about the guards, the scientists, or Sarkil's evil plot. Exactly what kind of wild goose chase was this?

"What do you think?" He countered. She racked her brain for clues... The scientists had told her it was around, but sent her to an obviously empty room. Sarkil (and anyone else for that matter) was never to be trusted, leaving her with her instincts, which unfortunately failed to intuit the welfare of plants. The king closely watched the indecisive look of confusion cross her features, then laughed victoriously.

"And the worst part is that you'll never know." His smooth voice deviously floated into the air to complement his wicked smile, and he slowly paced across the room like a predator with cornered prey.

"What a pity... Such young talent." He purred. "You know, if you had left the matter alone and waited another day, I was going to release you. You and Asbel were going to be free this time tomorrow; this was my test."

"What kind of sick scheme is this?" She infuriated; he was making less and less sense by the minute.

"I was testing you: making sure you were done searching for mulsa. If I could establish that you were finished with the plant, you would no longer be a threat. I would have released you." He looked disappointingly at her. "Obviously you weren't done; you've left me with no choice."

"But the scientists..." She began. They had treated her so kindly, exhibited genuine concern for her. They - not Sarkil - had told her where the plant was, and she had never suspected their kind act to have a part in the King's devilish plot.

"I ordered them to give you that room number." He revealed.

Disillusion dawned on her as her soul sank into despair. Even the Scientists had betrayed her? People she thought she could trust... The same people she had laughed with and felt such a close connection with, had also delivered her straight into a trap. And yet somewhere in the deepest part of her soul she didn't fully believe they were to blame entirely. Did they know the room would be empty, or was even this orchestrated by Sarkil?

"I actually was beginning to think I could let you go." The man droned on, unaware of her internal struggles. "But I suppose not... I promise you it will be painless."

It took her a couple moments to understand what he was implying. Presently her eyes widened in disbelief and a chilling fear ran through her body.

"You're sentencing me to death?" She gasped in horror. "On what basis?"

"Attempted theft of classified material from the Conservatory, restricted section. For any citizen it is undeniably punishable by death."

"That's cruel." She hissed, displaying her disgust and resignation for ever trusting him.

"Believe me I wanted to let you go, but you'd only cause more trouble. I couldn't immediately give you a death sentence either; you had done nothing wrong. I had to either let you go or kill you."

And so his overarching plot was revealed. All along he was building this elaborate trap, ultimately giving Nausicaa the responsibility of determining her own fate. In both cases mulsa would never make a physical appearance. The girl almost wanted to laugh at how beautifully foolproof the situation was for him.

As for the death sentence, she couldn't decide how to respond. The impulsive side of her wanted to scream and shout accusations, argue international breaches of power, and deny his authority to kill her. However, the rational side of her knew there was no longer an issue to stay alive and fight about; mulsa was out of the picture. She had lost that game to Sarkil long ago. Nevertheless she did not know what the penalties of losing ought to entail, and in fact she was quite certain the losses did not include her own life. She decided to give one final attempt at reasoning out of the cruel condemnation.

"Fine, I'm not getting mulsa; you've outwitted me. But let me go in peace; I know not to bother you again about it." He mulled over the idea, wavering for a moment before hardening his heart again.

"No... I need to make an example out of you, or else this plant will never cease to cause me trouble. This was already my second chance for you to leave unharmed. I'm sorry." He uttered plainly.

"Are you killing Asbel too?" She snapped suddenly.

"Probably. He won't take your death very well." Panic struck her at the thought of indirectly murdering Asbel in the midst of her stupidity. How could she have failed her task, and furthermore inadvertently taken him with her? Guilt became her new driving force as she decided that there was after all one last thing to fight for, even if she was irreversibly headed towards her own end.

"Not if you don't tell him." She viciously grabbed her only chance of letting him live. "My death for his life. Spare him," Her voice pleaded a little more earnestly, while Sarkil cocked his head curiously at her. "One death is enough for the both of us." When he didn't appear fully convinced, she added, "I can persuade him to stop searching for mulsa. Then you deport him and he won't bother you again."  
>Sarkil seemed lost in thought and was considering her proposal very carefully. She had played her arguments well, using his exasperation with mulsa to her advantage, hoping to reason an agreement out of him.<p>

"Eventually he'll figure out what happened, then come back to revenge your death."

"That's a separate problem for you to deal with. He'll be too angry to pursue mulsa by then; isn't that what you want?"

Sarkil stood still in contemplation, while Nausicaa became rather introspective herself. Since when did she become so cold and calculating? Honestly if Asbel did return for vengeance Sarkil would still have to kill him... but at least by doing this Asbel's death would be pushed farther into the future, and dependent on the Pejite's actions. She only hoped Asbel would not be so impulsive as to re-enter Merinth.

"Very well; you can say goodbye to him tomorrow morning on your way to your doom."

Internally she heaved a huge sigh of relief and nodded gravely. Sarkil began heading toward the door.

"Goodnight, and goodbye Nausicaa." He spoke as he turned the knob; halfway through the door he paused and turned around to meet her composed expression. "I almost wish it didn't have to be you." For a brief moment she saw remorse flicker through his eyes, as if he had no other choice when he unwillingly made this decision.

The slam of the door reverberated into the empty room and intensified the throbbing dizziness in her head.

"Me neither." She whispered to herself.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Exciting, no? Hope it wasn't too fast paced... I wonder if I put too many events in one chapter. But at least the plot is getting more interesting - in fact we are approaching the section I've been dying to write since the very beginning!<strong>

**quick disclaimer here my friends... I'm not ranting against GMOs. They are certainly wonderful advances in technology... As a bioengineer myself I know of the excitement of playing around with the living things on a molecular level. But in the true spirit of science I also know that human inventions are not infallible improvements to society... Just think of all the side effects to the man made drugs we use. Man's knowledge is limited, so GMOs may have good and bad effects, whether we know them or not. It also seemed to tie in nicely with the film itself, with the message that an advanced and industrialized society can do harm to nature... Sometimes life is better when we stick to what we are given. Hope I don't sound like a tree hugger lols.**

**With that said I haven't been able to figure out how Kerlin actually genetically modified temulsa... I'm pretty sure most of the equipment had been destroyed, not to mention the viruses that alter the DNA... oh well... maybe he didn't use viruses and just treated it with chemicals until all the DNA was damaged and mutated. From a science standpoint thats highly improbable to succeed, but whatever. :P**

**Till next time! :))**


	16. Altruism

**Arggh I want to finish this strong... as in before I start school again! Pressing onward ha!**

**On another note I thank all my faithful readers who keep supporting me... I know you're out there because I see the stats and know you read the new chapters the moment I post them. I'm honored to have such devoted followers - so thank you! :)) And you have no idea how much joy the reviews give me... you're all so encouraging. ^_^ 3 Now on with the story!**

**Date: 7/26/13 - and feeling sleepy...**

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: Altruism<strong>

Nausicaa pulled herself together and wasted no time in thinking how to get Asbel safely out of harm's way. She was not afraid of death - never had been, and even now it didn't seem to hinder her from thinking straight. Her only concern lay in deceiving the boy into thinking nothing had gone wrong, and somehow still tell him to leave Merinth without her... and also tell him to never reenter Merinth unless he wanted to get killed by Sarkil, no matter what kind of motivation (such as avenging her death) fueled him. It was easier said than done, but eventually she came up with her best semi-fabricated tale to support her instructions for him.

The night was peaceful and she enjoyed these last moments to herself, by way of reflection. So this was how her life would end? She had hoped to die with a bit more dignity - in the hands of Mother Nature for instance, instead of executed by human hands under the name of a criminal. Regardless she refused to complain or feel sorry for herself... it had been a full and productive eighteen years of her life: she had led a nation, created a cure, survived a military invasion, uncovered mysteries of the jungle, fallen in love... She harboured no regrets - except for one.

_Asbel._ Deep sadness overwhelmed her heart at the thought of leaving him behind... unfortunately, pain and burden seemed to be the only things she ever gave to him. Their time together would be abruptly cut short, and it was something she knew she'd regret for eternity. Preserving his life was terribly cruel; from his lingering grief over Lastelle she could only imagine how much agony he would be in after Nausicaa deserted him as well. Nevertheless, taking her with him would have proved even more selfish - excessively pathetic to the point of morbidity.

The sound of the door unlocking startled her out of her thoughts. Who would be visiting her this late at night - or rather early morning? The first thing she noticed was the sleeve of the night guard, followed by a vaguely familiar figure in the doorway. His features were weakly illuminated by the candelight in the room, and Nausicaa had to squint before recognizing the face of reserved Stafford, now come to see her. For a few moments the figure stood awkwardly by the door unsure of what to do, then shuffled towards her.

"Stafford." She eyed him with a curious expression, wondering why he was here. Originally curled up against a couch on the other side of the spacious room with her arms hugging her knees, she calmly rose to her feet and met him halfway across the room.

"Forgive me." He exhaled nervously, remorse apparent in his eyes. "I had no idea it would come to this."

"Did you know the room would be empty?" she asked quietly, exuding composure and harboring no hint of accusation in her voice. Her nature was to forgive, and she held no grudge against him; she simply wanted to know whether these scientists had acted against her in full knowledge of the detrimental impact of their actions.

"Only I knew. No one else remembered anything about Mulsa." Nausicaa nodded, observing the introverted man as he stood before her yet could barely maintain eye contact with her for more than a few seconds at a time. Stafford swallowed uneasily before elaborating.

"Sarkil said he was trying to keep Mulsa away from you, not set up a death sentence. If I had known I would never have agreed." He explained earnestly, hoping she would see his originally harmless intentions. Nausicaa noted his apologetic expression and believed in his sincerity.

"Don't blame yourself... I was stupid." The girl sighed, gloomily staring off to the side.

"If I had the keys I would free you... I'm so sorry." He uttered, shaking his head; the Princess smiled faintly and gave a slight nod of her head in appreciation. Both individuals then gratefully accepted the silence that harmoniously accompanied the tranquil of the night.

"How will they kill me?" Nausicaa spoke up again after a couple moments. Her gentle voice filled the air: naturally ringing with innocence, and now tinted slightly with sorrow. The scientist glanced at her and shifted uncomfortably, hesitant to speak.

"I'm not afraid of death, Stafford." She announced a little more forcefully. "Tell me."

"It's a room filled with toxic jungle plants." He replied, unable to face her directly. Nausicaa emitted a short laugh at the irony. For some reason she was relieved to hear of toxic spores, as opposed to any other method unfamiliar to her; at the very least she would breath her last in the presence of old (albeit non-sentient) friends. Suddenly Stafford jerked in remembering something, thrust a hand into his pocket, and drew out a couple tender green leaves still delicately attached to a plant stem. He held the plant matter out to her; Nausicaa frowned and reached a hand out for it.

"Bite into that when you walk in." He instructed. "It will ease your lungs from the burn, and also optimize your oxygen usage, allowing you to survive ten minutes longer."

"Thank you." She breathed gratefully, playing with the leaves before closing her hand possessively around it. Another awkward silence ensued; Nausicaa sensed he had more questions for her and didn't mind patiently waiting for him to speak. Communication was obviously not his strongest skill.

"I was wondering..." He began about a minute into the quietness. "If you could tell me more about it."

"Mulsa?" The girl clarified; the man nodded by way of an answer.

"I couldn't help but notice how awkward the proportions looked." He explained. A millisecond later another pressing issue slammed into Nausicaa's mind.

"You've seen it?" She asked anxiously.

"I moved it...Out of room 8."

"What?! It's still here? It's not destroyed?" She babbled all at once to a surprised Stafford.

"Well, no... Of course not. It's sitting in C2 Room 12." He answered, evidently wondering why she would be so alarmed. The look of intense shock on her face scared the modest Scientist, who now watched her quite concernedly.

"C2? Out by the front?" She cried while her photographic memory brought up the white-walled rooms at the side, not far from the benches she had worked on only yesterday.

"By Sarkil's order." Stafford answered, still not comprehending the importance of such random information. "I suppose some things are hidden better in plain sight." He shrugged.

Nausicaa's mind was racing. Did they still have a chance? Should she tell Asbel? Could her Pejite complete the difficult task she had failed to accomplish?

_No...not likely._ He didn't know the way to the Conservatory, had never been given the chance to explore anywhere beyond the prison bars. His only window of opportunity was during his deportation, but what were the chances of successfully stealing a plant from the Conservatory, while leaving the Palace escorted by guards? No; it was too dangerous, and she refused to place him at such high risk.

Nausicaa sighed hopelessly; fate was too cruel. She almost had it! One more day to live, one extra hour in the Conservatory, and she would have succeeded. Instead she was headed towards death by toxic spores. The circumstances amused her greatly, until she remembered that Stafford had asked her a question...

"It's hardly a plant," she answered him. "I suggest you not play with it because it's not naturally found the the wild." The man was completely taken aback by her statement. She kindly answered the rest of his inquiries and soon afterwards he fondly bid her a solemn farewell and left.

"So much fuss for one little plant." She muttered retrospectively. _Was it worth it?_ She wondered in her head.

* * *

><p>The sun had just barely risen when the guards came to fetch Nausicaa. In silence she traveled down to the prison cells, to meet Asbel before continuing to the execution chambers. Asbel's countenance lightened visibly with relief when he saw her beyond the cell, and she smiled to think upon his unfailing devotion. Before she could think of how to possibly tear herself away from him after this meeting, she was tackled by an ardent Asbel, who had swiftly wrapped her in a warm embrace the moment she entered the confine. All thoughts left her mind and she was simply glad to be back in his arms.<p>

"Where have you been? I was worried about you." He drew away from her and spoke in a rebuking tone. Nausicaa surveyed him and noticed the haggard appearance and dark circles under his eyes; he was not exaggerating. It had only been 24 hours since she last saw him, and he was already in such a state? What kind of misery would he be in when she left him for good? Guilt strong enough to torture her through a thousand afterlifes nagged unrelentingly at her soul, but seeing his concern for her only fortified her resolve. She brought a hand gently to his cheek, and looked apologetically at him.

"I'm sorry...I just spent alot of time bargaining with Sarkil."

"As long as you're safe now." Nausicaa cringed at those words. "Any new developments?" He piped casually; she swallowed hard and prepared to break the news. Gazing timidly at first into his expectant eyes, she then gathered all her courage to steel through this conversation. He deserved to live and she was determined to see it happen.

"He's letting you go." She uttered calmly, then watched surprise slowly spread across his features, followed by a vexed frown.

"You stayed up all night bargaining for my release? Why?" He snapped, not understanding why she would sacrifice sleep for such a trivial matter. Nausicaa knew that wasn't the exact order of events but didn't bother correcting him... it at least accounted for why she did not return to the cell last night. The less he knew the better; and to nitpick at the details would only risk exposing the truth.

"He wouldn't give me mulsa." she explained slowly, thinking carefully through every syllable she uttered. "This was the next item on my list." Somewhat exasperated by her actions, Asbel closed his weary eyes and rubbed his temples; the intelligent and mature girl could apparently be completely unreasonable sometimes.

"And I'm supposed to just leave?" He sighed as patiently as he could. "Without mulsa? After all our efforts?"

"Mulsa is not the only method to get the cure. There's a similar plant, called _cyathea temulsa_ in the toxic jungle. Go to Kerlin, find the plant and tell him how I purify my toxic jungle plants. He'll know what to do."

Asbel's mind perked up at the information. _That's a new development_, he thought to himself, slightly elated at the thought of acquiring a cure via means other than mulsa. Before he could venture any further into a celebratory mood however, he caught the unique wording of her instructions and stared at her warily.

"Wait - just me?" He asked sternly; Nausicaa felt the nervousness building within her and began to wonder if she could actually pull this off.

"Yes. I stay." She said quietly, preparing herself for his reaction. Her voice was softer than usual but no less resolved.

"What? No...no. I'm not walking out of here without you." He shook his head as he completely, wholly, entirely refused the idea.

"It's already been decided." She sighed tiredly and manifested a hard outward demeanor to conceal her own feelings of remorseful resignation.

"I won't do it! I'm not leaving you!" He barked obstinately.

"Asbel please!" She urged suddenly. Desperation filled her voice and she pleaded with him, as though his refusal was hurting her. "Get out while you can." In that momentary slip of composure he sensed fear in her eyes and wondered what else was behind her pleas... What was she hiding from him?

"What's going on? Are you in trouble?" He asked suspiciously, searching her eyes again but encountering only slight perturbation in the brown depths.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong." Given her jittery behaviors Asbel did not believe that answer for a moment. Sarkil, must have planted a catch somewhere in the agreement.

"What else was in that bargain? What did you trade?" Her eyes flickered again and she scrambled to restrain all emotion, terrified of him possibly discovering the ultimate sacrifice she would make for him. Hastily she calculated how much she could reveal to him without causing her plan to backfire.

"I don't have the time to explain the whole thing. Just know that you cannot come back in once you leave - not for me or for mulsa...Do you understand? He will kill you the moment you step foot in Merinth again." Her composure returned to her and she pushed harder to get her way.

"Then I won't leave. Not without you." He replied seriously. Nausicaa's heart ached in excruciating pain; they equally loathed the idea of leaving each other, except she bore the additional guilt of forcing Asbel into it without his full knowledge of the actual plan. Every lie she told inflicted a stab of guilt on her, and every cover up of the harsh reality meant repression of her own grief. Nevertheless she reminded herself that this was the only way he could play his role - blindly and in full trust.

"Asbel this may be your only opportunity - Take it!" This argument stood completely true. "If you don't do as I've told you, everything I've done will have gone to waste. Please don't allow my efforts to be in vain." He stared into her eyes silently, torn by the desire to follow her wish and the yearning to stay and protect her. He knew all too well of her reckless behavior, recalling her previous inclincations toward firing gunmen and stampeding ohms - and she most certainly hid another crazy plot up her sleeve. She waited anxiously for a response, and presently Asbel sighed in defeat.

"Whatever you're not telling me I'm sure I don't agree to it..." he huffed, but from his compliant tone of voice Nausicaa knew she had won. Indeed Asbel had basically given up and resorted to begging the heavens for mercy; when had he ever successfully persuaded her to stay out of harm's way? Once called to do something she could not be wavered from her course. It was a lost cause and he only hoped her survival instincts would not fail her. She smiled beautifully at him as admiration and relief poured out from her suddenly expressive eyes.

"Thank you. Now be strong; I swear that as long as I live and breath, I will find a way back to you."

And she had meant that vow from the bottom of her heart; except she wouldn't be living or breathing for long. She slapped herself out of her morbid thoughts and took her future in stride. Treasuring these last seconds spent with him, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight enough to suffocate him. Asbel responded by encircling his arms around her just as passionately.

"This is goodbye then?" He whispered in her ear; she nodded weakly and was crushed further into him. Cradling her head into his chest, he completely captured her in his arms and pressed a kiss into her hair. In silence they remained for a long time, neither willing to let go.

Eventually the embrace loosened slightly, that Nausicaa had just enough room to bring both hands to his face right before sealing her lips to his. The contact awakened a fire in him, as his hands fervently wandered along her back and his arms locked around her waist. The kiss deepened, their passion feeding off of each other.

"My heart is yours." She whispered, her lips still lingering over his. "Always has been, always will."

"Then come back to me." He breathed roughly, while she was still in his possession.

"I will try."

"That's not good enough." He growled, tightening his grip on her to make sure she would fulfill her promise. Pain flashed across her face but she hid it quickly.

"I have to go." Asbel gazed into her eyes longingly for the time that had now expired. As if every move of muscle brought him suffering he unwillingly removed his arms from around her, and she similarly disentwined herself from him.

She barely made it to the edge of the prison cell before looking back at him one final time. Her eyes poured out a wistful expression, brimming with boundless affection to the only man she ever loved, and her lips formed a bittersweet smile. She restrained herself from running back in to give him one last embrace: if she did that she'd never make it out again. Before she could change her mind once more she whirled around and left.

Out in the hallway she heaved a monstrous sigh with her shoulders, taking care to stay silent, lest Asbel hear her...she had passed the first and hardest test. Upon lifting her head she encountered her second trial in the knowing eyes of Lewis Findel, who stood transfixed in his cell, completely appalled. He had taken one look at the changed uniforms of the guards and realized where she was headed.

"Princess..." He urged, the expression in his eyes speaking volumes. _You don't have to do this. Find a way out. Avoid this end._ She slowly brought a finger to her lips and languidly shook her head to silence him. Her eyes were quiet, yet heralded of an unyielding courage; not only had she willingly chosen this fate, but her decision had to be kept secret.

"Keep an eye on Asbel please...make sure he doesn't do anything silly." She spoke with icy calmness, while slight sadness tainted the ends of her words. The kindly old man nodded gravely, to which she gave a gentle smile in return. Without another word the girl reverted to her course.

Only then did Nausicaa consider allowing some of her emotions to the surface. Up till this moment she had deliberately bottled most of it, to maintain her outward demeanor of strength, and to prevent Asbel from suspecting anything. Now that she was alone, the grief buried deep within her was let loose, to rise unrestricted and freely flood her mind and body.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, as a strange kind of pain overwhelmed her. Not the sharp, vindictive suffering that left you in hysterics, but a silent, devastating, gut-wrenching agony - like a dull knife blade lodged in the deepest part of your soul. It felt no less torturous, and perhaps even more painful, leaving you with neither the strength nor will to utter a cry. The heavy guilt of ending her own life also weighed unbearably on her shoulders. Was it the right thing to do? Her only consolation lay in Asbel's freedom; his life was the only reason she continued placing one foot in front of the other. _Walk on,_ she told herself. _Pave his way out of Merinth._ Every step she took brought him closer to safety, and that was all she needed to know to keep her going. She turned a corner and beheld the grid of execution chambers: nine rooms arranged neatly in 3 rows. The princess couldn't help feeling a little amused; how many people did they ever have to execute at once?

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><p>Around this time Asbel sensed in the atmosphere that something was horribly amiss, for no sooner had Nausicaa left than the Prince felt a faint nagging fear in the back of his mind. At first he pushed it aside, trusting in Nausicaa's judgement. However, over the next three minutes the dread only escalated, and now suddenly spiked, causing him to jolt upwards, completely terrified. Unmistakably Nausicaa was in danger. While thinking of his newfound conviction, he recalled that the guards with her were dressed differently than normal. Instead of the usual combination of grey and blue, they were clad in all black, under a much thicker material that was similar to his protective gear against the poisonous elements of the toxic jungle. The strange deviation from the norm aroused his suspicions; he started with that piece of the puzzle.<p>

"Lewis, do the guards often change their uniform?" He inquired of his neighbor, nervously scanning the corridor as if he was expecting some sudden commotion.

"No, those guards are dressed for a specific purpose."

"What purpose?" _Silence._ The boy hurried over to the window, wondering if the man had collapsed ill. Instead Lewis simply stood there, staring emptily ahead.

"Lewis?" The man slowly turned his head to face the window.

"Execution chamber, Asbel. They're going to kill her."

Asbel's heart stopped once he realized what he had just allowed to happen.

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><p>The last time Nausicaa had stared at death she was calmly standing next to a baby ohm, a herd of enraged insects marching towards her with unrelenting force. Even now, the sight of the execution room was much less terrifying than stampeding ohms, that she felt even more relaxed than last time... Grief may have found her soul, but fear did not; she had seen this coming, accepted the fact, prepared herself for this moment - even experienced death once already. She was not afraid. The guards led her towards one of the rooms; she cared not which one.<p>

Her life was meant to be used for others; she had felt convicted of that for as long as she could remember. Altruisim ran deep in her veins, and she embraced it with joy, for few were called to such a magnificent way of life.

The door opened, revealing a room full of the most deadly combinations of jungle flora. Sheer panic attempted to strike her one last time, but she was invulnerable. She would carry out her purpose to her very last breath. Satisfaction filled her soul as she stepped inside and the door shut behind her.

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><p><strong>Harharhar... hope things didn't get to melodramatic there. I wanted to keep the drama but not drag. Maybe I'll read it again tomorrow morning and totally hate it and make a bunch of edits haha...<strong>

**Until next time! I'll try not to leave y'all hanging for too long there... ;)**


	17. Rescued

**AN: I just rewatched Nausicaa with the Japanese voices... and her voice has a much stronger, commanding tone in all her flying/fight sequences! I just adore her sooooo much I'm basically in love with her, if that's even possible. Hurrah another chapter is here! I loooved writing this one... I've visualized the scenes in my head over and over for the last 2 years... Hope my description lets you see it as vividly as I do.**

**Date: 8/8/13 - haha! feels good to have gotten this far in the story.**

**Disclaimers: Nausicaa doesn't belong to me... and she's really the ideal heroine. The scenes here are my own creations though, so don't steal them! :PP**

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: Rescued<strong>

For the first minute she stared in silence at the breathtaking display of plants in the room with her, bemusedly recalling each scientific and common name as she scanned along. Then her lungs began to burn - mildly at first, but her airways followed suit, acting increasingly irritated. In spite the discomfort, such powerful courage lay in her that she did not panic, even when she involuntarily began heaving short, rapid breaths. Each inhale didn't seem to give her enough oxygen, and it felt as though she were constantly ducked underwater, allowed to the surface but plunged back in before getting a sufficient gasp of air. It was incredibly unpleasant, but her threshold for pain was higher than most people's and she suffered with dignity. A couple minutes in she finally remembered Stafford's gift to her. Calmly she pulled out the leaves and consumed them; they tasted bitter and left a miserable aftertaste.

By now her head started to feel heavy, and she noticed her vision clouding. Having grown up in the Valley at the border of the jungle she undoubtedly developed some mild resistance to the toxins, so she prepared herself for a slow death with the symptoms gradually accumulating until she passed out. A dull, mind-numbing wave of sleepiness began to overtake her, and she allowed it to carry her wherever it pleased. Her thoughts slowed as her mind wandered into mysterious far-off realms between the conscious and subconscious.

_How much longer?_ She wondered hazily to herself; her death might actually be boring this time.

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><p>Asbel's internal emotions were in hysterics as he paced madly around the cell. One thought crowded all others in his mind and possessed him entirely: Nausicaa was heading to her death. <em>How- what was she- - why-<em> The words couldn't even be formulated in his mind; ideas and thoughts were dashed to pieces, laying furiously jumbled in his head. The panic affected him like a sudden tornado, shredding all reason into scraps until he could barely make any sense to himself.

"She's going to die! How-" he whirled himself around and paced in the other direction. What was he going to say? Unable to finish his sentence, he lay perilously on the brink of insanity after being hurled into an abyss of terror. For the next few seconds he remained mentally paralyzed, while his faculties felt temporarily incapacitated by the information.

But out of the ruinous rubble of his mental state a new statement was formulated, growing stronger every second. _Get her out... Get her out!_ his mind repeated. Forged out of incoherent utterances, pieced together from broken syllables, it now rose like a wildfire and consumed his entire soul.

"I've gotta get out of here..." He mumbled repeatedly, pacing around like a restless mustang in the gates right before a race.

"Asbel, don't..." Findel counseled in a warning tone. "Stay calm..."

"She's going to die!" He insisted. "I have to get out of here."

"You know that's not according to the plan..." He persuaded.

"The plan?" Asbel burst out. "You mean the one where she just goes and kills herself and I walk out of here like nothing happened?"

"I promised Nausicaa to not let you do anything stupid." At this the prince uttered a half sarcastic, half incredulous laugh.

"You're talking to me about stupidity? She's letting them kill her!"

Lewis could not agree with him more; the girl was insane. But she must have felt certain of her plan or else she wouldn't have given up everything for it. Caught without a response, the elder looked away and contemplated if it was right to let her continue such a radical set of actions.

"I have to at least try." Asbel continued emphatically, as a fiery persistence manifested in his eyes. "You'd do the same if you were in my position!" At this statement Lewis lifted his eyes abruptly, his face paling slightly at those words... It was true; he would do the exact same thing. In fact, he had done the same thing twenty years ago: reckless actions driven by desperation when he realized his wife and daughter - the two people he had an obligation to protect and care for - were going to die from Gullera. His choice had caused him to be imprisoned for years but he did not regret a single thing.

Meanwhile Asbel gave up arguing with the aged man; he was wasting his time and couldn't care less about Lewis' opinions. He tested the prison bars with a violent shake, assessing the chances of breaking out by brute force. The steel was too strong; he'd have to lure the guard into opening the door. As he glanced up and down the corridors for uniforms Findel spoke up.

"Allright I'll help you out of here;" Asbel turned to face him in complete shock. "I've had enough of these granite walls anyway... Now pretend to strangle me."

"What?" The boy snapped, not comprehending.

"How else do you think we'll get a guard inside these doors? Do it now; there's a single guard coming this way."

Swiftly Abel stretched his hand through the window into the neighboring cell, securing his elbow in a head lock around Lewis' neck. He then pretended to strangle him; it turned out to be not that difficult to act out, since Asbel actually did feel like strangling someone at the moment. Lewis played along quite beautifully, gasping for breath, flailing his arms, and attempting to cry for help. Once the guard approached the cell the prisoner manifested such a realistic impression of gagging for air that Asbel briefly worried he was pressing too hard on his airways.

"Hey!" The guard barked anxiously. "Leave him alone! Stop!" He hesitated for a moment, looking down the hallway hoping for backup, then realized he had no choice but to unlock the door and single-handedly pry Asbel off of the man. The moment the lock clicked open Asbel revolted at the unsuspecting guard like a hound turned loose and covered his mouth to silence any calls for help. A grapple between the two ensued and the sentinel had scarily gained the upper hand, pressing Asbel in a choke hold against the wall. His only error lay in standing next to the window, giving Findel the perfect opportunity to sock the guard square in the face. The uniformed man toppled over unconscious and Asbel blinked in surprise to see the senior staring fiercely at the subdued opponent... it was a victory punch taken straight out of a hand to hand combat drama sequence.

"Nice one." Asbel managed to stammer out.

"I spent eleven years in the army; these fists can still take out anyone." He cackled while Asbel pulled the keys off the guard and tossed them to Lewis. A few moments later both men were running down the corridor.

"We take a left at the end, then a right; I'll show you when we get there." Huffed Lewis. Asbel simply charged ahead, praying that he would make it in time.

They turned the final corner and beheld the strange execution rooms. Asbel had no idea what would be inside but scowled at the sight of them... The dark walls and bolted doors appeared devastatingly wicked.

"Who goes there!" A voice shouted. Asbel and Lewis turned together to see the two sentry in black, coming out from among the rooms; Nausicaa was not with them. Asbel felt overtaken by distress, since he had no idea how she was being murdered or how quickly she would die. Instantly he attacked the guards with a vengeance, and Lewis did the same. To their advantage their thick black garments were clumsy and inhibited motion, making the two men easy to conquer.

"WHERE IS SHE? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER?" Asbel roared as soon as he forced one guard onto the floor, with his knee pushed into the man's chest and a hand at his throat. A snide grin appeared on the man face and a haughty laugh escaped his lips.

"Even if I tell you she'll be dead by the time you find her." He sneered.

"It's no use! You won't beat it out of him." Findel hollered, nearly finished with his guard. Asbel sent one last ferocious glare down at the enemy, then pummeled him straight into a concussion.

Asbel stood up to survey the grid of execution rooms before him. The clock was ticking and she was trapped inside one of these rooms. Three minutes had elapsed since he escaped his cell, rushed over here, and knocked out the two guards... She could be breathing her very last this very instant. His blood curdled at the thought of her dying, and he wasted no time in finding her.

"Nausicaa!" He shouted urgently, pacing frantically across the rooms. He didn't care if he caught the attention of the entire underground level; he had to find Nausicaa now or else she could be dead in mere seconds. He began pounding his fist vigorously against the doors, yelling her name and hoping for a response from the inside. He had traveled to the last two rooms when his ears picked up faint thudding back at the middle row. Instantly he sprinted over, trying to pinpoint which of the three rooms the noise came from, only to realize the sound had stopped. He cursed loudly and placed his ear on each door to pick up any sounds of speaking, coughing, wheezing - any signs of human movement. The area fell deathly silent, and in that moment he despaired; if he had to open and check all three rooms it would be too late. The weakness of the tapping implied she was perilously near the end.

Suddenly a shuffle. No, a slip. A body, sliding against the wall down to the ground. That was not what he wanted to hear. A vivid image of her limp, lifeless form emerged in his mind and scared him senseless.

It came from the third room at the very end of the row. He flew over in a rage, ramming himself in full force against the door. He knew the doorknob would be locked and intended to break through by brute force. When his own weight was ineffective he used his sword to viciously hack away at the wood.

"Lewis, find the keys on the guards." He ordered in between breaths. Exactly how thick was this door? He had gouged a hole two inches deep and still hadn't made it through. When Findel returned from his scavenging and Asbel still hadn't succeeded, the boy uttered a frustrated cry, tossed the sword aside, and snatched the keys of the guards.

"Oh, for crying out loud..." he spat, staring at the fat ring of twenty-some keys in his hands. Furiously he began shoving them in the keyhole with inhuman speed, begging the heavens that she would survive. Every second ticked by ominously, and he couldn't shake off the thought that any moment she could be crossing from life into death.

Finally a smooth fit, followed by a frictionless twist of the lock. Asbel flung the door open, and was assaulted by all sorts of toxic spores and poisonous gases. His blood boiled at such evil practices, but he didn't have time to be angry. Nausicaa lay by the side wall, collapsed and unconscious. Without thinking he rushed in, took her in his arms, and carried her back out.

He knew he was late. People don't last longer than five minutes in the Toxic Jungle. Dread pooled in his stomach when he saw that she was not breathing, but when he pressed a finger to her neck he registered a single beat. Although it was a single, weak throb that threatened to stop altogether, he clung onto the hope of reviving her.

At that moment several guards strolled around the corner, evidently on one of their regular rounds. Gaping at the sight before them, they drew their swords and immediately charged to capture them. Asbel panicked for a brief moment; now was not the time for this! Sensing the urgency of Nausicaa's situation, Findel swiftly stood up and gave Asbel a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

"Stay with her; I can handle them." Asbel trusted the man; he may appear old and senile but his fighting spirit was as young as a teenager's, and his combat skills still incredibly sharp.

The boy nodded and reverted his attention to the dying girl; she needed to start breathing again first. He immediately placed his lips over hers and forced air into her lungs three or four times, watching her chest rise and fall each time. He monitored her pulse for any changes. Her heart seemed like it was giving up, and he worriedly instigated chest compressions to keep the blood coursing through her body. Fear pestered him as he continued alternating between lung and heart functions; several minutes passed and her body still refused to breathe on its own. Asbel was getting desperate.

"Breathe girl..." He urged anxiously, pushing harder on her chest. When her body remained lifeless and unresponsive, he felt stricken by terror. What if she really didn't come back?

"Come on! On your own!" He yelled, voice starting to break. No. This couldn't be happening. Tears began to well into his eyes. The possibility of her death was becoming more and more a reality, and it scared him into a frenzy. He was practically hyperventilating in fear, and his heart was pounding out of control. Several breaths, multiple compressions. Was he doing something wrong? He checked her pulse; there was nothing.

"Fight Nausicaa!" He yelled. Silence.

Suddenly she gasped, jolting back to life. Relief flooded his soul as she sucked in a long, hard breath, as if she had been underwater for far too long. The boy couldn't restrain himself; he instinctively snatched her up and held her close to himself, gently rocking her back and forth. One hand delicately supported her neck and head, while the other nervously stroked her hair, felt her back, wrapped around her shoulders. It was as if he couldn't get enough of her - her life, her breath, her body, her very existence - all of her was beyond precious to him. He was never parting with her again.

"Don't ever leave me..." He choked out, cradling her to himself, and his voice trembling in raw emotion. "Don't ever leave me. I'll go insane."

He dug his face into her shoulder and half sobbed into her hair, still breathing rapidly. This was by far his most harrowing experience of his life. He could feel her cold, clammy skin, and stayed close to her, just to feel her body temperature rise up again. His cheek was pressed tightly against her neck, until he could feel her pulse, now throbbing with increasing strength and vigor. The fall and rise of her chest against his body gave him inexplicable relief.

Nausicaa feebly opened her eyes. She registered she was sitting on the floor, but where? Her memory felt clouded as she tried to recall the past. The last thing she saw was...plants... her lungs burned and she was choking. Wait, she should be dead - was this a dream? Someone was holding her - who was this? She weakly lifted a hand feel the person's frame and encountered the strong shoulders that she knew so well. _Asbel._ She thought to herself with joy and surprise. How?

"What were you thinking?! Why would you leave me?" He demanded in a voice full of hurt and anger, now pulling away to look at her. His eyes frantically searched hers, and in that moment Nausicaa felt sympathy for the poor boy before her: the crazed look in his eyes made him almost unrecognizable, and barely mentally stable... He must have nearly cracked under the stress.

She couldn't talk; her lungs had no extra capacity for speaking. At the moment her head throbbed painfully while every part of her body tried to adjust to the sudden increase in oxygen concentration. Using her eyes to communicate an apology, she spoke to him of her full admiration, his unfailing devotion to her, and her gratefulness to him for saving her life. After a minute she mustered all her strength - to move the muscles in her chest, push the small amount of air in her lungs - just to speak.

"Thank you..." Her breath came out like a faint wisp of air. She was tired.

Asbel checked his anger and regarded her meticulously, reminded of her physical fragility. This was the girl who normally commanded insects, led nations, harbored a most resilient fighting spirit and did as she pleased... Now unable to utter more than two syllables in a single breath. Having been to death's doorstep and back, she looked little more than a frail sparrow with broken wings, unable to fly. His heart turned from indignation to sympathetic concern.

"Shh... Don't talk." He replied, the hard edge in his voice melting away. "You still need to regulate your breathing." Just then Asbel assumed a close, protective stance over her upon hearing noises from beyond the corridor.

"Arthur? Johnson? I think something's up..." Voices gathered in the hallway; footsteps and clinks of armor grew in pace and volume.

"Time to go, lovebirds." Someone piped kindly; Nausicaa whipped her head up to see where the voice came from.

"Lewis!" She rasped excitedly; Asbel gently helped her to her feet and kept an arm around her.

"Nice to see you again, Princess." The man smiled. The trio hurried along, and Nausicaa pushed herself to return to her normal vigor. Her body still felt sluggish - as though she had completed a marathon - and her head felt fuzzy and clouded. However, she continued onwards, exerting herself more than usual to accomplish the simplest functions, and patiently waited for the rest of her body to catch up.

"We should go to the Conservatory." She started; her brain was reassessing the situation with increasing liveliness.

"Why?" Asbel retorted.

"To get Mulsa." Upon hearing her answer Asbel roughly pushed her against the wall, forcing her still with his elbow. Annoyance was apparent in his eyes.

"We're getting out of here, now." He growled. "No detours." He couldn't believe his ears; after a close encounter with death she still couldn't be a bit more cautious?

"Your mother will be dead by the time we purify temulsa!" She muttered urgently under her breath, then watched the unsettling realization take over his expression, extinguishing the fiery emotion in his eyes and replacing it with frustration and indecision.

"Look, she's the closest thing I have to a mother. I'm not going to risk losing her too, not if I can help it." She hissed impatiently, feeling more and more energetic by the minute. "The longer we wait the lower our chances of getting out of here!"

He stared at her, clearly agitated but torn between leaving quickly and saving his mother. Reluctantly he let go of her, and she wasted no time in continuing down the hallway, pulling him forward by the arm. The tangible goal fueled and reinvigorated her tired physical self, chasing away all feelings of languor.

She led them out of the prison cells, using her memory to guide her towards the Conservatory. Stealthily they crept along the walls with Nausicaa in front, stopping everyone and ensuring that the coast was clear before turning every corner. She felt full of vitality now, returned to her normal capabilities, pushing for survival and leading others with her. Within ten minutes the trio was climbing up the familiar staircase to the same black door from yesterday. It would be locked, but Nausicaa already solved that problem back at the execution rooms when she ordered Lewis to bring the guard's keys along.

"Lewis you still have the keys?" She reminded; the senior responded by bringing forth the huge band of clanging metal parts.

"Let's see..." The girl muttered confidently as she sifted through them to find the contraption that matched the image in her head. Her photographic memory was keener than her eyesight itself, and she frequently thanked the stars for blessing her with such a useful skill. From recognizing faces, to remembering where she last placed an object, to recalling which jungle plants she had previously investigated - not a day would pass by without her utilizing the "camera" within her mind. Near the end is where she found her desired key, and she quickly proceeded to unlock the door. When she placed her hand on the doorknob she turned to look back at the other two with a calm, determined expression. Her eyes exuded a bit of excitement however, glistening in the hallway lamplight.

"I know where it is." She divulged to them. "Just follow me and pretend you know what you're doing."

The mid-morning sunlight streamed gloriously into the Conservatory as she proudly led the way through the building. Purposefully she strode down the rows toward section C2, even pointing out occasional plants and areas of interest as if she were giving a tour. She caught a glimpse of Kirkham in the far corner and made sure to keep a distance; most other people she had never met, so encounters consisted of a curious glance and friendly smile. New faces were not a surprise to the workers, considering the huge number of people employed in the Conservatory at any given time. With her confident demeanor she merely appeared to be another scientist taking the irregular shift.

C2 room 12 was unlocked, to their relief. She pushed the door open and all three exhaled with satisfaction at what they saw: a humble but hardy-looking green shrub, sitting alone in the room. In that moment Nausicaa's soul filled to the brim with gladness and accomplishment to have finally laid eyes on their treasure. A radiant smile spread across her feature as she stepped into the room.

"There you are." She cooed at the plant. It may be genetically modified and evilly invasive, but it was a life - which meant it was beautiful. Tenderly she picked it up and cradled the pot to herself, still admiring its leaves and stems. It was an emotional moment for all, as their lives had each been affected most personally by Gullera; and by extension this one cure - this one mulsa plant - held great significance for them all in a unique way. Nausicaa had the privilege of carrying the prize out of the room, with the other two marching after her.

They had barely walked two steps out of the room and turned a corner when Nausicaa stopped in her tracks at a familiar face: Stafford stood transfixed in the aisle, clearly shocked to see her alive and in the Conservatory. His eyes flicked down to the plant, then back up to Nausicaa. Undeniably he knew what it was, and there was only one reason for her to be holding it.

Their eyes met in a tense silence; no one uttered a sound. The Princess stood her ground and showed no fear, for she was not backing down. With the piercing gaze of a hawk she stood by for his reaction, ready to fly if necessary. The silence hovered ominously, while she remained still as a chess player at a pivotal step in the game, waiting for the opponent to reveal his intentions. Presently the scientist glanced around him, scanning for other people in the vicinity.

"Follow me." He whispered. The trio trailed after him in silence as he threaded through the aisles to an inconspicuous door, opened it and descended a set of stairs to a gray, dimly lit stone corridor.

"This is a less traveled passageway out of here." Stafford finally explained when they were safely underground and away from people. Nausicaa smiled to herself; so he was good after all... she would be forever indebted to him for this. After a couple more minutes of brisk walking he turned around to face them.

"This is as far as I can go; I'm sure guards will have arrived to the Conservatory. Keep going and take a left down the first hallway you see. Follow the exit signs up the stairs and you should be outdoors near the gates of the Palace."

"Thank you Stafford." Nausicaa breathed earnestly, her voice ringing with gratitude. The man returned the sincerity with a look of genuine goodwill in his eyes.

"Good luck. When things have calmed and there is no longer a threat to your safety, we will send you a formal invitation to come back to the Conservatory."

"You will always be welcome in the Valley." She took the opportunity to clasp his hands and give it a firm, friendly squeeze, having finally come to an understanding. Looking kindly into each others eyes, they gave each other a final nod and went on their separate ways.

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><p><strong>So I just read a synopsis of the manga... and the story plot continues beyond the movie into much grander and darker events! I was digging around to see if Asbel and Nausicaa are meant to be together; turns out the manga is rather inconclusive about it because she mostly just fights to the end of the manga. BUT there is another kid named Selm who shares her telepathic powers! It ends with unconfirmed rumors about her either returning to the Valley, or leaving the Valley to be with Selm... but let's assume she goes back to the Valley, shall we? Asbel stays alive through the manga but doesn't interact much with Nausicaa (and he's apparently the lone survivor of Pejite!) Have I aroused your curiosity enough? I think I'm gonna read this manga in my spare time haha... after i finish this fanfic because it will otherwise mess with my head. I'm just glad my fanfic doesn't clash too much with the manga, other than the fact I've outright shipped Nausicaa and Asbel together. My story could potentially occur right after the movie in the middle of the manga, with some inconsistencies... hurhur...<strong>

**Wow my AN sections are practically turning into a stream of consciousness - anyways thanks for reading! I couldn't have gotten this far without your support. :))**


	18. The Great Escape

**AN ok so friends it may get a bit graphic near the end... so if you dislike blood please be careful as you read. It's nothing much... I just describe a surgical procedure in a bit of detail, haha. Apologies if you get grossed out...**

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><p>Chapter 18: The Great Escape<p>

They emerged out of an inconspicuous side door of some unknown building; the Conservatory lay behind them, and the Palace gates stood at a mere fifty feet ahead of them. Blinking in the strong sunlight, the trio observed the Palace fortifications around them and deliberated on the best method of leaving. To their dismay the brick walls stood more than ten feet tall and were covered by rigid-looking shrubs, forcing them to leave through the official gates.

Cautiously they took several steps toward the exit, hoping to slip out undetected. Only ten seconds had passed by when guards suddenly flooded in before their eyes, shattering their prospects of escape. Instinctively they whirled around to run but more streamed in from behind as well, until they were entirely encircled by an impenetrable wall of guards. Asbel immediately snatched Nausicaa's hand to keep her close and roughly shoved her behind him. Tension electrified the trio as they slowly spun around warily, surveying the barrier of guards and unsure of which direction to face, should the sentries decide to attack.

"Caught in the act - again?" A voice enunciated in a slow, taunting manner. "You just never give up, do you?" Two guards stepped aside to reveal Sarkil, ominously walking towards them.

"I'm surprised to see you alive, actually." He continued in a smooth, sarcastic tone while his piercing green eyes narrowed at Nausicaa. "Tell me, are you immune to the jungle toxins as well? Maybe I should deliver your body to the doctors for an autopsy, once I've successfully killed you."

"Over my dead body!" The Pejite snarled fiercely, stepping in front of her.

"Oh it will be; don't worry." He replied haphazardly, eyeing Asbel with a casual, bemused glint.

"Why are you so bent on stopping us?" Nausicaa came forward, frustrated at him for ruthlessly thwarting her every step. "Our intentions are harmless; I have no desire to release mulsa into the wild. Let us go!" Her voice urged earnestly but did not beg; the king glared at her coldly, somewhat annoyed.

"I told you already: I have to make an example out of you." He sighed. "You're a very persistent individual Nausicaa - a trait I greatly admire, but unfortunately you've picked a fight with the wrong person, for the wrong thing." He sent her a stony, unyielding glare for several more seconds before diverting his attention to the last member of the trio.

"Ah, Findel..." He began, a hard edge creeping into his voice. "I should have killed you twenty years ago." He pronounced resignedly, and Lewis returned his blunt words with an enraged scowl. "Pity the execution laws weren't in place at the time. But no matter; today we'll get the job done." Once the king finished his arrogant speech he began to slowly pace before them, savoring every second of silence as if he expected his captives to feel torment for every moment he lingered. When he twisted to face them again his eyes exhibited a most nefarious glint - a fire full of savage, almost maniacal intents.

"Time to find out exactly how many spare lives you have Nausicaa." He enunciated in a low, menacing voice. Sarkil barely waited a second before barking the final command.

"Kill them!"

At that moment madness commenced; the guards charged into the center with brandished swords and a cloaked figure leaped into the center of the circle. Everyone was fighting in a rage, and yet no one could see anything. Nausicaa defended herself originally with a small dagger but when a soldier collapsed dead before her she nabbed the sword and was quickly attacking at full strength. Weapons clashed in the blindingly bright sunlight, making it impossible to see even the faces behind them. The girl only caught glimpses of the dark-clothed intruder but didn't have to guess who it was.

_Always perfect timing, Lord Yupa._ She thought approvingly in her mind.

Asbel was similarly hacking away, absorbed in combat. He tried his best to keep Nausicaa within sight, but eventually lost her in the massive number of guards that crowded around him. He was busily striking down soldiers from his miniature circle of enemies when he noticed someone fighting alongside him.

"Tersa!" He exclaimed in surprise. Where did she come from?

The short haired girl sent him a modest smile for half a second, before getting back to business.

"On your left!" She cried just as she dodged a swipe from her own opponent.

A slight flicker of hope reignited in their hearts the moment they banded together, aware of each other's presence and collectively fighting against the sentries. Even young Kitson was making himself useful, stealing weapons and unhinging protective armor wherever possible. Eventually a guard noticed the boy and furiously began attacking the twelve-year-old; if Asbel and Tersa hadn't come to his aid he probably would have been stabbed to death. For the next few minutes those three remained together, watching each others' backs and providing help in pivotal moments of combat.

About twenty feet away from them, Nausicaa scanned the arrangement of guards quickly, and found the weakest point in their gigantic circular formation. She directed her energy to the few guards standing in her way, and gradually broke an opening in the human wall surrounding them.

"This way!" Nausicaa shouted to the rest when a passageway was apparent. She did not foresee, however, a furious Sarkil directly approaching her, sword unsheathed and prepared to fight.

Swiftly she hid the tiny plant in her jacket. She had managed to make it this far without dropping or putting it down, but seeing that one very competent Sarkil was headed her way she would most likely need both hands. The madman would use all his strength to prevent her from leaving with the precious green item.

The girl barely had time to pull out her sword before Sarkil made the first attack, bringing his weapon down in a full-forced strike from above. Nausicaa blocked the offensive with her own sword, absorbing the impact into her shoulders and upper body. From the sharp ring emitted by her sword in the clash, she soon realized her weapon could not sustain heavy shocks, being likely made of a cheap material vastly more brittle than the ceramic swords at home. She switched tactics and sought to inflict injury on Sarkil's lower extremities, bringing the physical action lower to the ground, to prevent him from raising his sword high to attack from above. They continued to fight furiously for several minutes, foreseeing each others' actions and blocking strikes. Out of the hectic environment the most jarring clangs and clashes emanated from their duel, while the others sought to free themselves from the guards. Sarkil was completely hellbent on killing her, evidenced by a violently sinister frown upon his face. He moved with cunning speed and brute force, being much taller than her; she held her ground and battled wisely, saving her strength wherever possible and using the combat tricks she had been taught in her youth.

In the end her sword gave way, smashed into pieces by Sarkil's superior sword in a heavy swing from the side. Her wrists sustained a sharp stab of pain, being forced to absorb motion from a deep angle. For several seconds she did her best to dodge the sword, until Sarkil began to attack with his feet and elbows as well, attacking the most vulnerable parts of the body. She realized her doom when she successfully blocked a punch to her gut but in the corner of her eye saw him simultaneously raising his sword. A gaping empty horror filled her soul in that split second as she scrambled to step back, though deep within her she already knew she would not make it.

Suddenly an ear-splitting boom startled her to the core, and she fell backwards on her hands and elbows. When she looked up in bewilderment, she noticed Sarkil's sword slipping out of his hand, and his attention diverted to a small, circular wound on his opposite arm. Although it was not a life threatening injury, the king was momentarily stunned enough to give Nausicaa several short seconds to quickly leap to her feet away from him.

"And that is why I keep a gun with me at all times." Tersa announced to Asbel, pistol still raised in her hands. She had been standing a good fifteen feet away from Nausicaa and Sarkil but had hit the precise center of his upper arm. All commotion stopped and the guards quickly left their targets to tend to the injured King, leaving the captives free to run.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side..." Asbel commented to Tersa as they sprinted towards Nausicaa and the Palace gates.

The group gathered together once more and barreled their way through the Palace gates, knocking down any sentries that tried to stop them. Speedily they mounted a couple horseclaws standing idly outside, feeling certain Sarkil would unleash the remainder of Merinth's army on them within the next two minutes. Twenty seconds later they were flying through the main streets as fast as the animals could run. Common folk stared at the commotion or scurried to avoid getting run over, continuing to yell angry words long after they had passed.

About halfway to the airship Nausicaa glanced behind her and confirmed her strong suspicions: in the distance a healthy squad of sentries were in pursuit, about thirty seconds behind them. However, unless the army horseclaws were somehow significantly faster than theirs she judged that they had enough time to get everyone safely onto the airship. The Princess only hoped that the airship engine would be able to fire up quickly, before it the sentries executed some premeditated method of preventing liftoff.

At last the patch of grass came into view, as did the familiar outline of the airship. Nausicaa felt relieved to have made it this far: their chance of escaping was improving by the second. Upon reaching the grass they heard the engine start up; Jack must have sensed the urgency of the situation. They instantly dismounted the animals and sprinted to the plane: Kitson running next to Tersa, Yupa ushered Nausicaa ahead of him, and Asbel stayed behind Lewis in case the aged man's joints failed him along the way.

Bullets started to whiz by; Nausicaa remained unfazed by the sounds, and pressed onwards with her usual sturdy determination. However she jolted out of her focused mode when someone uttered a cry of pain from behind her. Whipping her head around she noticed Asbel grimacing in pain: a spatter of blood lay on the front of his left shoulder blade.

"Asbel!" She cried, immediately worried that it may have tore through an artery, and within a heartbeat she was by his side. His running gait slowed significantly from the pain, and the girl supported him by the arm as they climbed into the airship, several seconds after everyone else had already safely boarded.

"In the air! Now!" She shouted loud enough for the entire ship to hear her. The flying craft lethargically heaved off the ground, while crew members worked to close the ramp doors.

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><p>Nausicaa didn't even bother saying another word to anyone else around her and simply concentrated on getting Asbel to his room. By now Lord Yupa, Tersa, and Findel were following the couple, with worry evident on their faces. Asbel seemed to be getting weaker with every step; his breathing became increasingly labored, and his body hunched lower and lower to the ground. His own hand covered the wound area in an attempt to stifle pain and stop the blood flow, but the bright red was spreading quickly beyond his hand and over his left side.<p>

"Just hang on, you'll be allright." She muttered with determination, but her heart was terrified - he was bleeding much too quickly. It could only mean the bullet had nicked an important vessel.

"We need to pull the bullet out." Lord Yupa stated grimly as the group moved into Asbel's room.

"He could bleed to death." Nausicaa objected emphatically, lowering the injured man onto the bed with utmost care. Once he was seated securely she possessively snatched his hand and observed him concernedly.

"You don't have a choice; the bullets are coated in poison." Findel uttered solemnly; Nausicaa stared at him in horror, then shifted her gaze back to the man resting quietly on the bed. Asbel did not speak and kept his head down, but his clenched fists and tightened jaw muscles told of the overwhelming amount of agony.

"Emergency kit is here." Tersa announced while setting a small wooden box down on the bedside table.

"I can do it." She volunteered, her voice quiet and grave, as she stood up to extract the tools from the box. They didn't have the luxury of bringing their own doctor onto the ship, and most times were capable of healing wounds amongst themselves. Nausicaa had definitely dealt with more serious cuts and burns, but never in the past had she removed a bullet. Nevertheless her hands were the most adept out of everyone on board, and she wouldn't let anyone else touch Asbel anyway.

Her determination to heal him steadied her nerves, and she pulled out a scalpel and a pair of forceps. Tersa set up and lit the flame for her and she sterilized her instruments in the heat. With a regular dagger she tore away a square of the fabric soaked in deep red, revealing an ugly hole about one centimeter in diameter, flesh brutally torn and old blood caking at the edges. Her stomach churned slightly at the bloody mess - not because it appeared gross, but because she was assaulted by the hurt it brought to the victim.

"Don't watch." She whispered to him softly, her fingertips lightly touching his chin to turn his head away.

She could barely see anything inside the dark abyss, and hoped to find the bullet quickly without having to search too extensively. Somewhat timidly she began poking into the opening with her forceps, revealing light pink fleshy material underneath that she surmised was either muscle or some other tissue. Immediately she realized her biggest obstacle would be the blood that gushed out in response to her every movement, pouring out of the opening every time she tried to peel away flesh. She needed to soak some of it up if she wanted to see the bullet.

"Tersa can you hand me a small piece of dressing?" White gauze came her way and she carefully placed it in her forceps before dabbing away at the area. She finally strained her eyes into the hole, saw where the pit ended, and presumed that the bullet lay at the very bottom. However she could recognize no glint of metal and concluded that the metal pellet must have been covered by the tissue above in its travel to the bottom.

"I have to cut deeper." She whispered apologetically to him, giving him a warning of the trouble to come.

She wormed the scalpel into the cylindrical hole; the wound was no more than a half an inch deep but she felt as though her hands were descending into a lengthy chasm. With short wrist movements she lightly slashed into tissue at the very bottom, trying to gain a clearer picture of where everything lay. Asbel uttered a suppressed grunt of pain, and her breath hitched with his suffering. This was why she couldn't be a doctor... her soul felt tormented every time she inflicted pain on others, even if it was out of necessity and good intentions.

_Where is it?_ she asked in her mind, her features twisting into a frown as the search continued for the piece of metal. She didn't have much time, for blood was quickly filling the area. Finally her knife struck a hard surface; she squinted and identified the bullet, embedded at an angle and with a corner exposed.

"Found it." She pronounced, resolve and confidence finding its way into her voice.

With dexterity she brought her forceps into the bloody scene, and clamped down as hard as possible on the end of the bullet. Her fingers kept a death grip on the forceps while her hands pulled with steady force, feeling the metal glide against tissue. With a final momentous slide the tiny round came free, and she heaved a internal sigh of relief. Deftly she put it down on the table for later inspection, and returned her attention to the wound: blood was gushing out with newfound vigor, now that the foreign object was removed. Wasting no time she grabbed another square of dressing to absorb the red fluid. With one hand she applied pressure over the wound to minimize the flow of blood, while her other hand rummaged through the emergency kit for ointments. The moment her hand made contact with the wound Asbel gave a sharp, tense exhale and gripped the side of the bed.

"You allright?" She asked anxiously, popping open a jar of herbal oils used to fight infection.

"Fine." He gritted out.

"Any dizziness?" Underneath the concern lay the sturdy tone of a professional medic.

"Yes." He answered simply. She was not surprised, considering the amount of blood she had seen in the last fifteen minutes. Her next step was to prevent infection and slow down the rate of blood loss. She removed her hand from the wound, and sighed to see the blood stubbornly oozing out again. Quickly she applied the ointment to the skin surrounding the wound, her fingers delicately rubbing over the inflamed areas nearest to the opening. Afterwards she covered the majority of his shoulder with loads of dressing, generously dousing the patch of contact with oil.

"Done." She breathed gently to him when she was finished.

"Better let him rest." Yupa's deep commanding voice droned, weariness evident in his speech. One by one they filtered out of the room to get their own sleep, until only Nausicaa and Asbel remained.

"Thank you." He exhaled weakly to her.

"You're welcome." She replied with a faint smile, taking his hand in both of hers. Tenderly she lifted it to her face, and her lips found the back of his hand, while her eyes, slightly sad, stared deeply into his face. From the way she lingered over his skin it was clear how much she yearned for him and for his well being... She longed to embrace him completely, but this fraction of contact would have to suffice for now.

"What do we do now?" He asked tiredly.

"We wait for it to heal. Can you sleep?" He shook his head, a frown carved deep into his face. The pain was much too strong to allow him any sort of rest.

"I'll search the kitchen for something to help." Even a piece of ginger would be worth a try, if she were to find one. She rose to leave but his hand only gripped her tighter, preventing her from stepping away.

"No... Don't leave." He muttered. She was already his own personal analgesic. Quietly she resumed her position on the bed next to him, observing him carefully.

"We need to distract you from the pain... Did you have a book?"

He didn't answer, and she noticed the frustrated expression and furrowed brows. The torment so greatly consumed him that he could barely focus his eyes on anything, much less hold a book in front of his face. A better idea crossed her mind.

"I can read it to you." She piped gently. "Where is it?" Several seconds ticked by as he tried to remember where he last put it.

"On the desk."

And so she read the book aloud to him, sitting in a chair across the bed and simply happy to help him in his hour of need. Yes, she contained the spirit of a warrior, the independence of a soaring eagle, and the courage of a king... but at her very core lay the true heart of a servant - meek and willing to assist others. Asbel rested his head against the bed and gratefully listened to the spoken words, occasionally zoning out into the mesmerizing tone of her sweet voice. Eventually his body accustomed to the pain - or was the sensation lessening? - words blurred into droning, sentences merged into a calming lullaby, until he finally drifted asleep. Nausicaa smiled at the sight, then faithfully remained in the room with him, reading his book on her own.

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><p>An hour or two later he woke up in a great deal of delirium, and when his eyes opened with a glazed-over expression Nausicaa's heart sank in dismay. As he began babbling nonsense the girl checked on his wound and tried to calm him; his mind had been overtaken by the residual poison and she could only wait patiently for his body to recover. Uttering a mixture of English and gibberish, he jabbered angrily about being trapped by Sarkil, and insisted that she run away now before they caught her.<p>

"Leave now they're coming for you... they're coming for you..." He repeated unceasingly like a broken record disk, along with a string of indiscernable syllables. His breath grew weaker with every reiteration and he tired himself out from the non stop chatter. The girl finished applying new dressing over his wound and reached out her hand to clear away some of the hair and beads of sweat clinging to his forehead.

"Sleep love; you need to rest." Her voice gently nudged him. He quieted for no more than thirty seconds before resuming his spitfire of rants.

"Run!" He cried forcefully. Upon this last exclamation he lurched forward, taking considerable effort to lift himself off the bed. He leaned on his arms as if there was no wound, undoubtedly aggravating his injuries. Instantly Nausicaa lept over to restrain him, gripping his arm and applying pressure to his torso.

"Asbel you have to sit back... Please!" She beckoned when he tried to struggle. "You're going to reopen the wounds." The man leaned back into the bed, staring at her with a dazed look on his face. Every few minutes he tried to get up, and every time Nausicaa had to pin him down, until she eventually got tired of it and sat down on the bed next to him. She deliberately placed her head on his unhurt shoulder to weigh him down, and claimed his free hand to herself to prevent him from wildly flailing his arms. When he rambled about leaving the bed to escape she used an authoritative tone to counter his whining.

"Well I'm gonna take a nap." She declared to him, like a mother would to her child. "You should sleep too." He looked away, slightly put out, but he didn't move. Once or twice upon restless impulse he attempted to get up, but Nausicaa held him down with the force of her body. In silence he sat for about twenty minutes, until he gradually grew tired as well and peacefully slid into oblivion.

Nausicaa heaved a sigh of relief when he finally dozed off; the entire time she had lay quietly curled up against him and still as a statue, monitoring his vital signs and patiently waiting for him to relax. It was crucial that he fall asleep; had he stayed awake he would easily be bounding out of the room in another bout of delusion and his brain would never get the chance to overcome the toxin.

The act of lying still made her realize just how exhausted she felt, as weariness suddenly swept over her mind and weakened her muscles. Why was she so tired? She tried to think back how many hours she had been awake, then remembered she hadn't slept more than an hour the night before her scheduled execution. They had left Merinth just that morning, and it was now evening... Which meant she was approaching 48 hours of wakefulness with one hour of sleep in the middle.

_Well that would explain it..._ She remarked dryly to herself, and decided that a short nap wouldn't hurt.

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><p><strong>Aaaand that's a good stopping point. Again my dearest friends this will be the last chapter for a while, now that I'm going back to school. My apologies but I promise I will still be working on it... can't say when the next one will come out but I'm guessing around Thanksgiving, and maybe October if I'm lucky... sorry folks but at least they're out of Merinth! :P haha well follow the story or something if you don't want to keep checking here every other day for a new chapter.<strong>

**As always thank you for the reviews and Guest for the enlightenment on Nausicaa and Selm... I just might have to read the manga then write another fanfic for Selm before I'm actually at peace haha...**

**Until next time! Wishing you lovely readers the best!**


	19. Recovery

**Hi lovely readers! I'm back! Missed this fanfic so much... And thank you again for your support, I love reading your responses and enthusiasm. This was my sanity through finals week... hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas break now! :)) And since this is break, I plan to get a couple more chapters out before school starts again! :D **

**I think it's time for more fluff, hmm? ;)**

**Date: 12/26/13**

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><p><strong>Chapter 19: Recovery<strong>

When Nausicaa woke again she swiftly glanced up, relieved to see him still sleeping. However, consternation flooded her soul when she noticed the unnaturally pale appearance of his face, and the deathly white color of his lips. His breathing was shallow, his pulse weak and rapid, his skin cold and clammy. She surmised the heavy blood loss were to blame; the brain's wave of overactivity from the poison had now passed, revealing a body that was barely stable. A resolve to nurse him back to health swept over her and she quickly slipped off the bed to get to work.

She tiptoed out of the room to check on the rest of the ship and to do some housekeeping tasks; after escaping Merinth in the airship she hadn't even had the time to unpack. The stars had shifted across the night sky and she estimated she had slept for perhaps two hours; for the time was now nearing midnight and the ship as a whole lay peacefully asleep. Upon reaching her room she proceeded to organize her belongings and pull out anything she might need. After cleaning herself up a bit, she stopped by the kitchen to nab some food to take back, gathered medical supplies, and returned to Asbel.

Back in the room she soundlessly lay everything down, and spent a minute simply looking at him: it was quickly becoming a strange pastime of hers. Eventually by the dim lamplight she noticed a drying blood stain on his shoulder, and reached for the new pile of dressing she had just brought back. Carefully she proceeded to peel off the old material and inspect the wound; it was still quite gory looking and slightly infected, but inflammation had subsided a bit.

At the motion Asbel startled awake, and panicked for a moment, unable to recognize where he was. Nausicaa quickly responded by bringing her free hand to his face, that he might register her touch. Several seconds silently passed by as she gazed calmly into the confused daze in his eyes, until somewhere in his mind he recognized her face and relaxed somewhat. Still heaving short rapid breaths he lifted his hand until it lay on top of hers, and with much effort he pressed it against his face, holding it rather weakly there for several seconds. When his arm grew tired he let his hand drop down to his chest and over his heart, taking her hand with him. In the moments that followed he attempted to focus his eyes on her and concentrate his mind, but became extremely tired and closed his eyes once more.

Nausicaa had understood his actions, and carefully leaned forward on the bed, making sure to avoid touching his hurt shoulder. With utmost care and affection, she gently pressed her lips to his forehead for a sweet, sustained kiss. Afterwards she continued wrapping the wound, then simply sat still, content to be near him in the tranquility of the night. As she absorbed the peacefulness of the darkness, her mind wandered slowly and blankly, indicating how mentally sluggish and physically tired she still was. Nevertheless, she was unwilling to leave him unattended, and would stay awake to watch over him. Just watching him sleep enticed her to curl up against him and sleep some more...

Overnight she remained vigilant to his every motion, worried that he might slip into a coma or worsen into some other terrible condition. He was constantly in a cold sweat, and she had no idea whether or not to feed him any food or drink. Whenever his breathing got too quiet she would nervously feel his pulse to detect a weak, lazy beat. His body needed time to replenish the blood supply he lost; perhaps she could feed him some type of soup that contained some easily digestible nutrients and enough water content to keep him hydrated.

Her entire sleep cycle had been disrupted to the detriment of her own health, but she knew her body could handle a few more nights. By taking half hour long naps through the night, she hoped her body would remember the correct sleeping times, and the rest of the time she spent reading a book or thinking to herself. At around four in the morning she decided to leave the room to check the pilot's cabin. Asbel had just finished a bout of tossing and turning, which brought Nausicaa to adjust things on the bed until he felt comfortable and quietly lay asleep once more.

She knocked on the door and entered the pilot's room to find Jack inside. The boy turned around perplexed to see anyone up this late, then gave Nausicaa a warm smile - though a tint of concern lay in the depths of his eyes.

"Nausicaa. You stayed up late - or did you get up early?"

"Both; I'm keeping an eye on Asbel."

"I see... How is he?"

"Barely stable; he's lost too much blood."

"Oh no," he replied sympathetically. "And you?"

"What?"

"Are you allright? You look pretty tired out." He remarked gently.

"Yeah; I'm fine."

"What happened? In Merinth?"

"It's pretty complicated..." Nausicaa started, but spent the next ten minutes recapping the entire story - from entering the Palace to working in the Conservatory, to escaping the city. She of course skipped her own execution; no one needed to know about that. Her best friend listened intently, absorbed in the story and rejoicing with her at the moment of acquiring Mulsa. He radiated a feeling of energy, an aura of vigor and liveliness that was contagious. For this reason she loved talking to him; even an energetic person like her sometimes needed a recharge. At the end the boy turned serious to give her a friendly reminder to take care of herself.

"You should get some sleep after that adventure... My shift ends in an hour. I can watch him for a bit then, so you can catch some rest."

"Allright, thank you." She supposed she ought to sleep a little more after all. But first she needed to find food for Asbel. After saying goodbye to Jack she trotted into the kitchen, and began to throw various fruits and vegetables into a small pot for a bit of broth-like soup. It needed to be digestible and nutritious at the same time, and she was careful to add only simple ingredients, low in fat content but high in vitamins and minerals. In thirty minutes she headed back to Asbel's room, a warm bowl of soup and spoon in hand.

Inside the room she again sat down beside him, wondering whether or not to wake him. A minute later he saved her from her dilemma, for he moved in sudden jerks, as if caught in a dream, then abruptly woke up. His mind was still hazy and confused but from the way he opened his eyes and glanced around, Nausicaa could tell his condition had already improved, albeit by a minuscule amount. She called to him gently, her sweet voicing calming his nervous state, and she proceeded to spoon some of the steaming liquid and directed it to him. The boy tried to take the spoon in his own hand but she refused.

"Let me." She coaxed in a whisper, seeing that he only had one arm to use. Over the next few minutes she spoon-fed him the entire bowl of soup while he drank obediently and silently, satisfying both his hunger and her own motherly instincts. She recalled how much she loved taking care of others; it came naturally to her and she gained a strong sense of fulfillment from it. Afterwards she watched in satisfaction as he settled back into the bed, an almost imperceptible hint of contentment on his face.

"Thanks." He whispered, still weak and tired, but comfortable enough to sleep again.

"Sleep well." She replied, and observed him drifting peacefully into oblivion once more.

She began to wonder what would happen to the two of them from now on: would their lives closely intertwined, or simply parallel to each other? The idea of getting married crossed her mind, but she wasn't quite ready for that yet. Her life and responsibilities lay in the Valley, he lived in Pejite... things could get complicated. It was becoming quite clear that they couldn't be separated anymore... and making that a reality would require a discussion between them. She pushed that matter to the back of her mind for now.

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><p>The following morning Nausicaa walked out of the room at the sound of people talking. Her friends were standing around in the midst of a discussion, and gave her a short greeting at her arrival. Within the first few minutes it was apparent to Nausicaa that they were planning their next destination.<p>

"So we're fully stocked on supplies?" Tersa asked.

"Yes; we got everything in Merinth." Jack replied.

"We could head back to Pejite and the Valley now, if there are no other stops to make." Yupa contemplated; at this Nausicaa spoke up.

"Can we stop by Belden Swamp? To say goodbye and thank Kerlin."

"I suppose." The old man replied.

"I would also love to see Kerlin." Lewis Findel piped up. "He's an old and loyal friend I haven't seen in over twenty years."

"Lewis, is there anywhere else you are headed afterwards? We can take you to your next destination, if you have one." Yupa offered.

"Honestly, I have nowhere in mind." The man sighed. "I think the further I am from Merinth the better, in case Sarkil intends to hunt me down."

"Come to the Valley with us." Nausicaa cordially responded. "You can stay until you decide where else to go."

"Yes, perhaps..." The man trailed off pensively.

When their brief "meeting" was over, Nausicaa promptly headed back towards Asbel's room. She preferred not to leave him alone, and felt concerned for his shaky recovery. The wound was healing at an alarmingly slow rate, while the rest of his body struggled with the blood loss. The prolonged open sore on his shoulder meant he had higher chances of infection, so she changed the bandages diligently, and almost never left his side. For the next few days Jack and Tersa frequently stopped by to check on her: while Nausicaa incessantly worried about Asbel, her two friends were concerned for her. She had a bad habit of staying up for hours on end, until someone would come in to force her to sleep - and even then the girl would sleep in the chair nearby or at the seat by the window, in case the Pejite woke up and needed anything.

In the midst of these events Tersa and Jack also became closer friends. Whenever Nausicaa needed to sleep the two took turns watching Asbel, and occasionally Tersa would hang around in the pilot's cabin. Neither had really talked to the other until now, and to their surprise they had much in common and got along quite well.

"She just doesn't care about her own health!" Tersa grumbled sullenly one day, following Jack out of the room when Nausicaa woke up from an extremely short nap and quickly resumed her caretaking responsibilities. Jack hummed in agreement. The girl stayed quiet for a few seconds, then resumed voicing her opinions.

"After a certain point she won't have enough energy to take care of others if she doesn't take care of herself! She's gonna crash eventually."

"I know; she's strong though." Jack reminded her.

"Yeah but she's still human. I keep trying to tell her, and I don't think she gets the message. She keeps pushing herself too hard, for too long." Tersa shook her head worriedly, frustrated with her best friend.

"At least that makes two of us." He answered. Silence hovered for a few minutes until Jack decided to defuse the tenseness in the air after her brief rant. His shift for piloting would start in a few minutes.

"Wanna try steering?" He suddenly started. "Takes your mind off things." The girl looked over in surprise, a frown still carved deeply into her features.

"What? No… I'm not good at it." She replied matter-of-factly.

"Really? Why?"

"I can't ever hold the altitude for longer than 5 minutes." She explained.

"Oh. Just put a book under the control. That's my trick for keeping the altitude steady." He answered, sitting down into the pilot's seat.

"What?" Tersa bounced back. "Does that work? Aren't you supposed to keep your hand on it?!"

"Yeah your hand stays on, but the book keeps it at the right height. See - like this." He demonstrated, wedging the book under the controller shaft and resting his hand above it.

"No way…" She watched in captivation. "The book doesn't slide?"

"Nope." He answered with a smirk.

"That's crazy." Tersa piped with a tiny smile, obviously impressed.

"Here - you try." The boy gestured, rising out of the seat. The girl took his place and observed the makeshift "invention" once more.

"That's the most genius solution ever." Tersa enthused after a few seconds, and Jack laughed.

"How many of these tricks do you have?" She continued. "You're gonna have to teach me the rest of them…"

"Eh, a couple others… Sure! I'll teach you when we get back to the Valley, when we don't have ten passengers on board."

"Haha, good idea."

They continued chatting casually about other aircraft and mechanics objects… Tersa felt quite comfortable, being the ultimate tomboy and the daughter of a blacksmith. They eventually got around to the topic of forging tools out of steel and Jack became increasingly excited.

"So you know all the skills of a blacksmith?" He asked energetically.

"Yep - I will probably take over the business once Dad retires…. if he ever retires." She answered, her last statement coming out as a muse to herself. Jack still heard it and chuckled.

"How about you teach me blacksmith basics, and I'll show you my flying tips and tricks? When we get back to the Valley?"

"Deal." She answered, a genuine smile brimming across her face.

* * *

><p>Two days later Nausicaa's meticulous care and unfailing devotion paid off. It was mid-morning and she had been sitting by his bed reading a book, when he gave a long stretch and opened his eyes. His eyes, fully alert, danced across the room until they lighted upon her face. She looked up and in the moment their eyes met, the softest smile curled the corners of his lips. The girl returned the smile, closed the book, and moved to sit on the bed.<p>

"Hi…" She sang sweetly, overjoyed to see him looking _almost_ normal.

"How long has it been?" Was the first thing he asked; his mental faculties were normal enough to grasp the passage of time.

"Three days..."

"The damn bullet..." He muttered somewhat to himself.

"How are you feeling?" She inquired, bringing his attention back to her.

"Like I haven't eaten or drank anything for a week."

"And your shoulder?" He stretched slightly by way of rolling his shoulders, then furrowed his brows and stopped.

"Still can't move it."

"It's going to take a while," She reminded him.

"No..." He grumbled impatiently, looking down at his bandaged shoulder. "Come on, hurry up and heal!" He snapped in an unforgiving tone towards himself.

"Hey - be patient; you almost died!" she chided.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that? Speaking of which, how much sleep did you get in the last three days?" He demanded suspiciously; she had some serious dark circles under her eyes.

"Enough." Came her cryptic reply, and he knew she had overexerted herself again. He rolled his eyes at her and frowned.

"Sleep. Now." He ordered. "I'm perfectly well."

"It's eleven in the morning!" She objected.

"I don't care. My turn to stay awake; you need to sleep."

"But what if you need something?" She searched her mind for an excuse.

"You can sleep here," he replied, scooting over on the bed to give her room. "I'll wake you up if I need anything." Nausicaa glanced at the open spot reluctantly, but obliged and climbed on. The weariness in her bones became evident as she relaxed into the bed and rested her head tiredly on his unhurt right shoulder. Automatically her hand lay above his heart so she could register its even, relaxed rhythm that signified his recovery.

Asbel responded with a smile and placed his hand above hers, holding it gently there and rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand. Within a minute she fell asleep and the Pejite looked down at the girl with fondness; she must have stayed awake for several nights to watch over him. A couple hours passed and of course he didn't wake her up…she undoubtedly had accumulated a large sleep debt over the last few days. Around the time he started feeling hungry, Tersa came in with a tray of food and was relieved to see Nausicaa finally sleeping.

When she woke up again they continued to spend most of the day together in the room… savoring every minute and obviously staying within several feet of each other for hours on end. They absolutely never got tired of each other, whether chatting or quietly enjoying each others' presence. The only difficulty lay in Asbel's impatience with his slow recovery, especially now that he had regained consciousness. The boy quickly got bored with his lack of physical activity, which meant there were occasional conflicts between him and Nausicaa over what he should be allowed to do…

"What are you doing?" Nausicaa exclaimed in surprise. She had walked into his room with some food the next morning and was greeted by an Asbel struggling to rise from bed.

"Getting out - what does it look like?"

"No you're not - your shoulder's not ready. Sit back down." She uttered resolutely while putting the food down, and neared he bed to physically stop him. Asbel did not care and continued to lift himself off the bed.

"I'm just going for a walk - I've been stuck in here for a week." Nausicaa tried accosting him but didn't know how to restrain him without hurting him… eventually she gave up and returned to using verbal persuasion.

"You shouldn't be moving." she declared, watching critically as his feet touched the ground.

"I'm gonna die of boredom!" He complained in a belligerent tone.

"For heavens sake! You're worse than a four year old." She exclaimed, exasperated. Paranoid with apprehension that he might hurt himself, she followed closely after him into the hallway.

They traveled not too far before the prince emitted a surprised grunt; Nausicaa immediately knew he had pushed it a little too far. Instinctively she took his arm, allowing him to shift some of his weight over.

"Come on, take a seat." She nudged gently, and led him to sit momentarily on a nearby chair. He huffed his way down, slightly put out and feeling irritable about his health. She proceeded to briefly check the wound for blood, then sat down next to him.

"Standing up uses your back muscles, which depend on your shoulder." She reminded him softly. "Be patient; it takes time."

"It's healing too slowly…" He muttered half to himself. The girl chuckled sympathetically.

"Don't push your body beyond its limits. A bullet wound is no small matter."

"Says the girl who threw herself into a room full of toxic plants." He answered slyly, catching her off guard with the reprimand. She looked over at him, slightly surprised.

"Are you still angry?" Her voice, lightly touched by worry, floated towards him.

"Yes." was the frank reply.

"It was the only way to save you."

"Then I'd rather die." He retorted bluntly.

"No." She responded firmly but quietly, knowing she could never let him die with her.

"I'm serious. If you had followed your plan you would have killed me, not saved me." Nausicaa remained silent; they could probably continue arguing forever about this. She still harbored deep guilt for scaring him but if given the opportunity to go back in time she wouldn't have changed a single thing. Nevertheless she understood his sentiment; had they switched places she would have reacted in the same way.

"You know I can't help it." She breathed.

"I know." He retorted, a wry smile forming on his lips. Why did he have to fall in love with a girl with a self-sacrificial mentality? He paused for a minute, then continued voicing his thoughts. When he spoke again his voice was solemn, as if the mere thoughts in his head were painful to him.

"I don't want to worry about losing you… losing you so easily." The girl turned to him with a slightly sad expression, similarly weighed down by his concerns.

"You won't lose me." She reassured him softly.

"How do you know?" He bounced back almost angrily, his eyes pinning her down. "You've been lucky each time - what if the next time no one is there to give you another chance? What if next time is the last time you can test your fate? You're playing with fire." He argued, desperately trying to make her see his worries.

"Then I will have died for a cause - died knowing I was doing the right thing. Asbel, I've outlived everyone in my family. My job is now to protect and prevent suffering for those that are still alive."

"But please not at the cost of your own life!" He pleaded urgently, raising the volume of his voice. "I'm begging you - your life comes first. Your job here on earth is second to that." He lifted her chin up with his hand and looked deeply into her eyes; when he spoke again his voice was softer but no less sincere.

"The lives you have touched still depend on you. You have to be living first to accomplish your tasks."

"Perhaps…" She trailed off, thinking hard. That wasn't quite the response he wanted, but Asbel decided not to push any further, and hoped that the message would slowly sink in.

* * *

><p>"I really should be coming with you." Asbel declared from the bed, watching Nausicaa gather her basic necessities. They were nearing Belden Swamp, and Nausicaa was most definitely leaving the plane in order to bid the old doctor Kerlin a fond goodbye. Asbel, however, was not in the right physical condition to be wading through marshy swamps; everyone on board absolutely refused to let him step off the plane.<p>

"You'll do no such thing." She responded. "Be good and stay put."

"Don't you dare get yourself hurt. I know you can't ever stay away from trouble, but please don't willingly put yourself in harm's way."

"I'll be fine..." She trailed off, not really listening, and rather occupied herself with organizing the room. Asbel slid off the bed and walked toward her.

"I mean it," he continued, with a worried expression on his face. The girl turned around to face him, somewhat amused.

"I know," she replied good-naturedly. "Don't worry." She reached up to inspect his shoulder - a dull scab was forming - but he surprised her by taking hold of her wrists and pinning them on either side of her head. The distance closed between them until her back was pressed against the wall behind her. His eyes bored into hers, obviously intent upon getting her full attention.

"What?" She chuckled; this was the strangest yet most physically arousing position to be in. "Yupa and Tersa will be with me. I can't misbehave when they're around." The seriousness in his eyes melted into sweet care mixed with a tint of reproach.

Surprise stole her breath away when he leaned in even closer, softly touching his lips to hers. Her heart stopped and her mind froze for the next few seconds as she remained paralyzed by his touch. Even when he drew away she had no words or witty response, and merely stared back into his lively amber eyes, coping with the rush still in her veins. He simply smiled; from the look on her face he figured he had caught her defenseless.

"Be careful." He hushed softly, and solemnity resurfaced in the depths of his eyes. "You died on me twice - I won't allow a third time."

The girl was not about to admit defeat however, and quickly spun around until she had him pinned against the wall. She placed a kiss on his neck, and smiled against his skin when she felt his throbbing pulse accelerate under her lips. To finish him off she claimed his lips as well, until a minute later both were breathless and slightly mad at the other.

"I love you too much to ever leave you again." She whispered to him.

* * *

><p><strong>I was supposed to fit more events in this chapter! But oh well… at least I have next chapter's events laid out. Thanks so much for reading and hope you liked it! I'm reaaaally trying to finish this thing up but it's sooooo hard! Too many things I want to write and not enough room for it all!<strong>


	20. Reunion

**AN: I just realized the last chapter was practically all fluff. haha whoops… hope it satisfied all the fluff-addicts! this chapter was harder to write cuz there's less romance, but it's still important to the story… tells you how sappy I really am. Anyway enjoy! We're nearing the end. :O**

**Date: 1/2/13 - Happy New Year everyone! **

**Disclaimers: Miyazaki's characters, my story, ****the end. :P I WISH I had created Nausicaa. Love that girl to pieces.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 20: Reunion<strong>

Nausicaa felt a nagging feeling of trouble as they neared Kerlin's home; she swiftly headed towards the pilot's cabin for a better view of the land below them. Fear instantly struck their hearts at what they saw: Belden Swamp had been set ablaze, and now offered wisps of smoke where Kerlin's hut used to be. In shock they hurriedly found a place to land and began their trek through the marshland. The group desperately hoped their doctor was still alive, as the questions raced through their minds… could Sarkil have initiated this? Would the king of Merinth be so evil as to kill his own brother? In haste they traveled towards the scene, hoping to discover what had happened.

They arrived at their destination to find dying flames and burnt remains of what used to be Kerlin's home. In mortified silence the group walked around, trying to find clues regarding who committed the crime and what became of the doctor. Without hesitation Nausicaa entered the smoldering area, sifting through the rubble and hoping to salvage anything informational. There were no human remains, and she was grateful that Kerlin at least did not suffer a terrible death by fire. However that only eliminated one of many possibilities, and she had no idea if he had been captured or if he managed to escape altogether. Inside the hut she found a mess of books and plants everywhere, all burnt beyond repair. Glass jars had been shattered, their contents emptied and annihilated. At the sight of this wreckage Nausicaa knew this was an intentional act of violence, for no fire could smash those sealed and preserved specimens the way these glass jars had been obliterated. She brought a hand to her head to steady herself; frustration and anguish took hold of her soul as she clenched her fist in her hair.

"So much hatred!" She cried, in pain at the sight of such disaster. Why were humans so capable of hurting each other, so quick to destroy?

Back outside she noticed Findel staring intensely at something on the ground. When she came to stand next to him she saw a strange pile of rocks. At first glance it would seem absolutely uninteresting but as she looked closer they seemed to have been arranged in short linear segments.

"Meet, at, the cave…?" He read slowly, as if he were reading a language he wasn't completely fluent with.

"What?" Nausicaa asked, not comprehending.

"The patterns in the rocks. They're symbols several of us created when we were young lads." Lewis explained. "Is there a cave nearby?"

"There are rock formations about a mile away from here."

"Let's check there."

In haste the group trekked for another twenty minutes east of the site, until they came upon several large formations of rock amidst marshy foliage. One of the rocks had an opening dug into it, seemingly by Mother Nature herself, for it appeared raw in structure, yet had been polished over time. Findel walked up to the cave first, and stood at the opening.

"Almus?" The man shouted into the cave. "Are you in there? It's Lewis."

Silence responded, and for a moment the group feared they had walked to the wrong cave, or that Kerlin had truly been captured. Findel however, refused to give up.

"How did you know I would break out of jail?" Mystification found its way into his voice as he continued conversing with the black emptiness. "Everyone else who can read those symbols is either dead or thousands of miles away from here." Again no response. They were about to give up hope when their ears registered the shuffle of footsteps.

"Blind faith and gut intuition." A voice echoed out of the darkness, and the group gazed intently into the pitch blackness of the cave. The aged doctor gradually emerged before their very eyes, out of the heart of the cave.

"I figured you must have really wreaked some havoc back there, for them to come after me." Kerlin continued, a mischievous grin upon his face as he walked toward his best friend from years past.

"Unbelievable!" Findel exclaimed in incredulity. Few additional words were spoken as the two aged men shuffled towards each other for a long awaited embrace.

"Glad to see you alive." Kerlin chuckled heartily, his gnarled hands roughly patting his friend's shoulder.

"Same to you! We thought that fire had killed you." At this the doctor uttered a frustrated groan.

"Those bastards - burned everything to the ground!" He exclaimed (unsurprisingly) like a grumpy senior, raising the volume of his voice.

"I know-"

"Everything! That was my home for twenty-seven years!"

"I know. But at least you haven't been harmed." His friend comforted him.

"Oh they don't plan to harm me - they can't!" He barked defiantly. "I won't let them. My brother doesn't dare to actually kill me."

"Exactly. And if I know you, they didn't destroy _everything_. Am I right?"

"Well, I salvaged my rarest seeds and precious books before they bombarded my house."

"Then they are most rare indeed." Lewis smiled kindly into the eyes of his companion until Kerlin reflected the same expression, and the two again spiraled into another set of joyous laughs.

"Still the same Lewis! Always the best friend." Kerlin complimented, and Lewis gave a small cackle in response.

"Still me! Except seventy years old and a little rusty. You're looking fine though!" The doctor waved away that last comment, and remembered that they were not alone.

"Where - where's the girl?" Kerlin asked, glancing around for Nausicaa. When he found her he slowly shuffled towards her, greeting her with a warm smile and a merry twinkle in his eyes.

"Thank you, my dear - for bringing him back to me." The kind old man took her hand and patted it lightly. Nausicaa returned the sentiment, glad to see the two friends reunited. Presently he pulled her towards the cave entrance. "Come; I have something to show you. It'll take five minutes. Everyone else wait here briefly."

The two of them walked together into the darkness, and turned a corner into another "room", not much more than another compartment carved in stone, but with the addition of a small fire and a random assortment of boxes. The man mumbled to himself for a few minutes, drawing out handfuls of leaves and roots from boxes here and jars there. Everything he gathered he then threw into a cup for a concoction over the fire; a minute later he handed the Princess a steaming cup of tea.

"Drink that." He ordered, as his voice turned grave. "I have absolutely no idea how you ended up in an execution room, not to mention how you survived." Then added with a slight tint of remorse, "Forgive me for sending you into such danger in the first place."

"How did you know?" The girl bounced back, stunned by his acute observation.

"The combinations of those toxins leave a distinct tint on the skin; I noticed the moment I saw you. Sarkil has a most merciless disposition even after all these years."

"No; I was careless." She admitted, thinking of her naivety back in Merinth when she walked blindly into Sarkil's trap.

"Were you able to get mulsa?" He inquired. The girl nodded, and proceeded to open her backpack that contained the plant.

"Oh please no! I don't need it." He chuckled nervously. "It has caused me enough trouble. Take it and use it carefully; I trust you know of its nefarious characteristics." Nausicaa nodded a reply.

"I plan to finish using it once and for all, and then purify the toxins out of temulsa for future batches of medicine."

"Very good." He hummed in approval. "Purify the toxins... how?"

"The pure water from underneath the Jungle," she replied.

"Does that truly work?" The aged doctor piped, curiosity evident in his voice. "I heard rumors but never tried."

"Yes it does." She responded. "I've turned a roomful of lethal plants into harmless flowers before."

"Incredible… and it's entirely natural." Kerlin muttered in wonder to himself, his statement reminding Nausicaa of a question.

"Do you still alter plants?" She inquired.

"No, not anymore. I have witnessed the dangers of creating mutants, so now I lack the incentive and the equipment to do it safely. I saved the handbook," He piped up, pointing to a pile of books in the corner. "Feel free to take it and try to make sense of it if you like." She smiled at the kind offer, and pondered how this man could possibly be related to the villainous king she furiously battled several days ago.

"Doctor, are you truly Sarkil's brother?" The man chuckled at her question.

"Yes, born and raised in the same family. Our interests and personalities were entirely different though, so many people have gone so far as to suspect that one of us was adopted."

"Will you ever be able to return to Merinth?"

"Not while my brother is alive. Our 'rivalry' goes even farther back in time than the mulsa incident. Somehow he considers me as a threat - perhaps because I am older and smarter academically." The girl absorbed that information, until another question registered in her mind.

"You denied your place as ruler, then?"

"Yes; I hated politics. I had no aptitude or desire to handle foreign relations or economic policies."

"The people of Merinth don't object to his rule?" Nausicaa couldn't help but wonder how the people could live under such a domineering character.

"No; Sarkil is talented at managing economics so the state has flourished under his reign. He does his job well running the administration so smoothly, so no one complains. They would suffer his temper in order to enjoy the blossoming economy."

"Did he try to kill you?" She continued, thinking of the fire that demolished his home.

"No; he's not that malevolent. Simply sending me a message to stay out of his domain. Mulsa is just one of the many things we disagree about. I would advise you to stay away from Merinth from now on; he does hold grudges and may still try to harm you." She nodded at the information; she had only one more question left for him.

"Do you know where we might find temulsa?" She asked as they began walking back out to rejoin their friends.

"It grows rather abundantly in a field about half a mile to the west. There should be plenty to take back home and heal the sick.

"Perfect." She replied, overjoyed.

"Lewis, old friend, where do you intend to go now?" Kerlin inquired when they had all gathered together once more.

"I have nowhere in mind. I originally hoped your abode in Belden Swamp perhaps had room for one more inhabitant, but seeing that even you are on the run..." Silence hovered for only a second before the doctor piped up again.

"Shall we travel together then?" Kerlin posed merrily, the slightest glint of excitement in his expression. As Findel glanced into the eyes of his old friend, a feeling of rejuvenation swept over the two of them.

"Shall we?" Findel prodded, mulling over the idea as a youthful, mischievous smirk spread across his face.

"You're a free man now, and I have nothing to tie me down. I could travel with you and search for seeds along the way."

"Are we not too old for this?" Findel posed in hesitation.

"Ha! Old is a useless word. As long as we have breath in our bodies I say we are young enough." Lewis considered idea for a moment longer, then threw his hands up in the air.

"Allright then, why not?!" He laughed, clearly entertained by the idea.

"Wonderful! There's only one thing left to do." Kerlin then turned to the princess standing nearby. "Nausicaa, you now own what little remains of my library and seed collection. It's not everything I had in the swamp, but I took my most useful references and most valuable seeds and medicines with me." The girl was completely rendered speechless for a moment.

"What- no, I couldn't possibly!"

"I am about to travel the world which means I need to pack light - and I would feel much better knowing that my collection was being safely guarded by a reliable scientist such as you Princess. Besides, it is the least I can do for you. Not only have you outsmarted my brother for me, but you have brought back to me a treasured friend."

"I… I don't know what to say…" She replied, still stunned. "Thank you, thank you so much!" She breathed gratefully, in awe at receiving such a prized collection of knowledge, from the most renowned doctor across the lands.

Eventually the group decided to head out, leaving two adventurous seventy-year olds to pack for the trip of a lifetime. Nausicaa bid both of them a fond farewell, wishing them safe travels and good health.

"When you have finished your travels, come to the Valley, both of you! Replant your garden in our land, and teach me the rest of your knowledge!" Nausicaa shouted to them as they parted.

"Of course! We look forward to visiting the Valley one day!" The men answered excitedly and waved goodbye.

* * *

><p>The party waded back through the marshes toward the aircraft, stopping only to gather a hefty amount of temulsa to take home. As soon as they boarded the airship Nausicaa ordered the books and seed collection to be deposited in her room, while she scavenged the ship to find containers to hold her temulsa specimens. From the kitchen she nabbed several jars to experiment with root propagation with temulsa stems. In the mechanics room she recovered some large metal bins which could serve as large troughs to hold the larger plant samples, complete with roots and all. Attempting to replicate the "secret" room at home, she placed the troughs and jars on the balcony, filled them with water, and simply submerged the plant roots in them. She obviously couldn't keep water running constantly, and settled with changing the water multiple times a day, depending on their limited water supply. After all, they were flying several hundred feet in the air without a permanent water source.<p>

When she was finished on the balcony, she turned around to find Asbel leaning against the doorway, watching her with a slight smile on his face. Looking into his eyes, she noticed a spark of liveliness illuminating the enchanting dark amber depths.

"What is this? Aircraft upgrade?" He drawled mischievously; the girl sent him a glare, but a smile pulled the corner of her lips and lit up her eyes. She playfully strutted toward him with a bit of an air.

"That," she declared with a confident smile, as she slipped her hands around his middle. "Is your mother's cure." His eyes widened in delightful surprise.

"Really?"

"Mhm. It's temulsa."

"No way. Can I see it?" He piped excitedly, freeing himself from her to go inspect the plants. He walked over and knelt down to observe the leaves closely.

"This can cure Gullera?" He breathed, in awe that they had finally accomplished the mission of this entire trip.

"When the water is done purifying it, yes. It should be ready to use by the time we reach Pejite." Nausicaa answered, coming to stand by him.

"Amazing." He declared, and continued to observe the plants. Nausicaa remembered that she had a stack of books and an extremely interesting seed collection waiting for her in her room, and decided to leave Asbel on the balcony with the temulsa.

"Don't stay out in the cold for too long." She lovingly reminded him, as she headed back inside.

Inside her room she excitedly sifted through her new possessions: Kerlin had left her with about ten thick volumes on medicine, a few of his personal scientific notebooks, and many little boxes containing seeds, leaves, and roots of medicinal plants.

"Medical Emergency Kit." She read on a medium sized leather case. The label was interesting enough, but its worn out handles and discolored appearance further incited her curiosity. Out of all of Kerlin's belongings this was the oldest and most used; she gently lifted it up as if it were a fragile antique.

Sitting down once more she opened the case and found a fascinating assortment of vials and medical instruments ranging from common scalpels to elaborate needle syringes. She realized the potential applicability of this treasure chest in the near future, and quickly began familiarizing herself with the contents. Using his books and personal notebooks she searched for definitions of chemicals, purposes of herbal extracts, and instructions for the medical tools. Salicin was a painkiller, valapotriates was a sedative, _Origanum vulgare_ leaves can be rubbed onto skin as an antiseptic…

"'Catechin is a chemical known to instantly clot blood, and is derived from the plant _Potentilla fragarioides_.' Interesting."

Eventually she came upon the tiniest black vial in the entire case, and held it up for inspection under the light.

"Theophylline," she read, and speedily searched for it in a glossary. "'Theophylline. A toxin derived from the _Th__eobroma phailin_ plant. Will stimulate respiratory muscle contraction.'" She paused to think for a second.

"Why would you ever want respiratory muscles convulsing in a medical emergency?" She mumbled to herself. Sedation and blood clotting agents made sense, but stimulators? She scanned the medical handbooks and couldn't find an appropriate use for Theophylline, for the books only mentioned it as a non-lethal toxin that caused hyperactive respiration. Putting the vial back into the case, she made a mental note to ask Kerlin one day and moved onto the next item.

* * *

><p>"Eugh, I feel gross." Asbel declared disgustedly. He had been wearing the same shirt for about a week now, and didn't particularly like the feeling. Since he couldn't move his arm, the boy had done his best staying clean without actually washing under water. But it obviously wasn't the same level of cleanliness, and at this point he simply wanted to get out of his old clothes into something new.<p>

"That's understandable." Nausicaa mumbled, preoccupied with one of Kerlin's volumes that expounded diseases related to the Toxic Jungle.

"Do you think I can take a shower now?" Asbel asked plainly. In all honestly he would have done it a week ago without hesitation - but he learned (the hard way) that Nausicaa had the better judgement regarding health.

"I don't see why not. You can move your arms now?" Nausicaa inquired matter-of-factly.

"Yeah."

"Ok." She declared with a nurse's authoritative tone. "Just be careful." Out of the corner of her eyes she watched him struggle to pull off his shirt. He obviously still had a residual amount of pain that prevented him from executing seemingly simple but extreme motions such as raising the arm. Seeing his difficulty she decided to help him. Quietly she neared him and gently tugged off the sleeves over his hurt arm, while the boy obediently remained still for her, seated on the bed.

The sight of the bare skin awoke a strange new energy within her, in the next few moments her hands moved upon instinct. Standing behind him, the girl tenderly lay her hands on his shoulders, feeling his body heat radiate through her palms; Asbel stopped moving, stilled by the contact. Slowly both her hands slid up towards his neck, and she leaned in to place a kiss in his hair. The muscles in his body couldn't decide whether to relax under her touch or tense under the stimulation. The girl simply missed holding him close to her, and proceeded to bring him deeper into her arms. Her right hand slipped over his shoulder and down the front of his uncovered torso; her left hand was cautious to stay below the wound, traveling under his left arm and around the side of his rib cage, and finally settled over his heart. For a moment she stayed there, hugging him closely to herself and resting her head against him, appreciating the raw contact with his body until she could feel their hearts beating as one. Gradually the embrace loosened, and her fingers lightly trailed across his back, making their way towards the bullet wound. As she turned her attention to the injury, her hands never left contact with his warm skin and in silence she looked long at the awful damage inflicted by the bullet. A scab had only partially formed, and the wound was still raw and sore; without a doubt it would leave a permanent scar.

Staring at his shoulder she felt her heart being ripped to pieces…overwhelming pain arose out of the depths of love and consumed her whole. Compassion was her second nature, and sympathy came to her like an instinct. She could put herself in the place of others to the point of telepathically feeling their emotions, which meant that she especially felt the affliction of those she loved, taking on the pain as if it were her own soul. She didn't know what else to do in the face of such agony and yearned to take the torture from him. It had given him an insurmountable amount of pain, from the moment the bullet seared through his flesh, through the nights of unrelenting suffering, and during the days of excruciatingly incremental recovery. Nor was it done torturing him - for it was only partially healed. A sorrowful tear rolled down her cheek, and her heart grieved for the torment he had endured. Through her deep care for him, that wound became hers as well - not just his.

Watching every emotion pass through her eyes, the boy grew amused, and took her face in his hand.

"Shh. Stop that." He told her gently, wiping the tear away with his thumb. The smile on his face was of both intrigue and love; his eyes communicated the casual and carefree joy he currently harbored - like a man that has finally figured out the most important things in life.

"It doesn't hurt anymore. Not with you around." He placed a soft kiss on her cheek, and calmly gazed into her eyes until he had successfully chased away all hints of sadness. Then he glanced at the bathroom door in a comical manner; he realized he couldn't wait to get under the water… At the moment only one obstacle stood in his way: one tender-hearted Nausicaa still holding onto him.

"You plan on coming with me?" He drawled in a gentle but humorous fashion, sending her the most cheeky sidelong smirk. All seriousness from two seconds ago dissipated into thin air. The girl emitted a loud giggle, and pressed her fingers to her forehead to push the unwanted images out of her head.

"No hun... I'll let you enjoy the shower on your own." She replied amidst chuckles. The boy laughed lightheartedly and rose towards the door.

* * *

><p>Two more days quietly passed by on the airship, and life continued as usual. Nausicaa kept reading her new books and monitoring Asbel, Kitson still followed Tersa around, Yupa continued his deep contemplations - probably mulling over the destiny of the human race. Everyone looked forward to returning to their respective homes, having been away for a little over three weeks now. It was now the evening of the second day, and they were scheduled to reach Pejite the next morning. After dinner Nausicaa went looking for Asbel, and found him leaning against the rail out on the balcony; by the way he stood, he appeared to be deep in thought.<p>

_That's not a good sign._ She drawled in her head. Quietly she came to stand next to him, and for a few minutes stared out into the night sky with him.

"You're almost home." She began softly, when she judged she had waited long enough.

"I know." Asbel sighed. "It's crazy." She observed him carefully and noticed something was weighing him down.

"What is it?" The boy played around with his grip on the rails for a few seconds, then spoke up.

"What if we're too late? What if my mother's already dead?" He blurted out, revealing a very uncertain and insecure emotional state. Immediately Nausicaa sought to comfort and reassure him, moving closer to him and gently placing a hand upon his arm.

"You don't know that yet." She persuaded; eventually the prince nodded, soothed by her presence. What about her was so magically calming? She was more effective than any sedative known to mankind.

_And not dangerous in large doses either, _he joked in his mind. If only he could keep her with him all the time...

"Will you stay in Pejite with me first? Just for a few days?" He asked somewhat shyly.

"Of course." She returned kindly. Silence reigned for a few moments, before Nausicaa spoke up again.

"Asbel?" Her sweet voice lilted through the night air towards him.

"Hmm?"

"What's going to happen to us? After this is all over?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do we go back to living our separate lives, the way we were before this trip?" The man froze for a moment before responding.

"Is that what you want?" He asked in a quiet voice that sounded slightly fearful.

"No! I'm just scared this won't work." She explained concernedly. "I'll go back to the Valley, you'll be in Pejite. We're a full day's flight away from each other." That fact had never scared them before, but now, in this moment of vulnerability both of them felt terrified of being physically separated by such a long distance. Asbel swiftly moved to securely wrap his arms around her, as if merely thinking about the future caused him to miss her. He wanted to feel her against him: her body captured into him, her head placed on his chest, her hair pressed to his skin, her hand clasped over his heart… he exhaled slowly.

"I know. I'm worried too." He admitted. "But I'm determined to make it work, no matter what it takes. I'm not losing you again." He tightened his arms around her at the last sentence, for he meant every word he said.

"Good." Nausicaa sighed, somewhat relieved. The girl closed her eyes to soak up the feeling of the embrace in these last precious moments. For out here, standing on the balcony of an airship in the darkness of the night, they stood in a world of their own, lightyears away from the troublesome, mundane worlds and dull, regular lives they would be returning to all too quickly. In the deepest part of their hearts, the part that had become one heart in love, they didn't want this exciting journey to end.

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><p><strong>Whew… making good progress here. I feel like I'm finally warmed up on my writing skills. The end is so near, yet so faaarrr…. ;)<strong>

**ps All except one of the plants mentioned in this chapter are real! I did my research on ethnobotany... it's super cool how many medicinal properties they have! :D**

**Thanks so much for reading all you loyal fans that are out there... you mean so much to me, it keeps me writing!**


	21. Returning Home

**AN: Hellow! Glad to be back with another chapter. It's really happening; I'm getting near the finish line! Wow now I don't know if I can say goodbye... I still have a couple more scenes in store though. :D Enjoy!**

**Date: 1/8/14 **

**Disclaimers: I don't own any of Miyazaki's characters, but I will admit that I am terribly in love with them. :/ Call me crazy. :P**

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><p><strong>Chapter 21: Returning Home<strong>

As Pejite grew barely visible on the horizon, Asbel and Nausicaa began packing the small number of personal belongings they had brought with them on this journey. The Princess made sure to gather the mulsa and temulsa leaves, as well as the emergency medical toolkit Kerlin had left with her. All her friends on board learned of her intentions: she would disembark with Asbel and stay in Pejite for a few days, before returning to the Valley. The airship however, would continue to the Valley without her initially, in order to quickly deliver medicine to the sick.

"Tersa, you know what to do?" Nausicaa confirmed one last time before arriving in Pejite.

"Yes Princess. Start boiling some of the temulsa leaves to cure the sick, and the rest goes straight into your room under the tower to keep growing."

"Exactly. Thank you so much; always there when I need help." The short haired girl smiled at her compliment, and the two exchanged a brief hug. "Take care; I'll see you in the Valley."

They landed the aircraft inside Pejite, on a landing pad within the royal quarters. Wasting no time, Asbel and Nausicaa exited the plane, making sure to grab Nausicaa's glider in addition to all their packed belongings. After they unloaded everything, a small party of attendants and friends greeted them. Asbel cut straight to the most important on his mind.

"Is my mother alive?" He demanded.

"Yes, but barely." Someone answered him.

"Barely?"

"She's in a coma, and her condition is worsening." A servant answered gravely.

"How long do we have?" Nausicaa jumped in anxiously.

"Doctors say she won't last through the night." Nausicaa immediately turned to Asbel; they needed to make the tea for his mother as soon as possible.

"Where's the nearest kitchen?" She uttered with urgency. Asbel swiftly led her through various rooms and hallways until they arrived at a spacious kitchen that was currently empty.

"I'll tell them to stay out of this kitchen, so you can use everything in here freely." She honestly didn't think she needed the whole place to herself, but didn't object. He disappeared around the corner and she started boiling water in multiple pots and pans.

"Might as well use it..." She mumbled to herself.

Within twenty minutes the first cup of temulsa tea was ready, and Asbel came back to lead Nausicaa to his mother's room. As the girl walked into the bedroom her eyes fell on the woman laying unconscious, looking extremely thin and deathly pale. A kindly doctor who looked in fifties rose to meet them; Nausicaa walked up to the bed, cup of warm tea in hand.

"Can she drink fluids in a coma?" She immediately inquired of the doctor.

"No; not on her own." The man replied; Nausicaa continued to observe the woman worriedly.

"She needs to drink this tea immediately; it's the only thing that can cure her." The doctor nodded in understanding, and with his help they were able to carefully feed her the liquid, making sure it went down her food pipe and not into her lungs.

"How often do you think we need to do this?" Asbel asked Nausicaa.

"I don't know; Kerlin had said right before meals, three times a day... But I think we should give it to her more frequently, given her critical condition." They eventually decided on giving her one dose every three hours, around the clock. Afterwards they set up shifts to watch her through the night, as her wheezing grew more and more labored every hour. Worry pestered them increasingly, as all three were aware that the upcoming evening might hold her most life threatening hours.

* * *

><p>Asbel sat motionless in his chair, absorbing the tranquility in the dead of the night; it was his turn to watch over his mother. He glanced over at the bed in loving concern, and frowned when he saw how difficult it was for her to draw a single breath. She had to make it through alive - Asbel couldn't and wouldn't accept anything else. Unfortunately there was not much he could do to help, other than giving her temulsa and waiting patiently for her to get better. He wished she would quickly show some sign of improvement… just seeing her lifelessly still and trapped in a coma disturbed him into continual fear. She looked like she could slip away any moment, without any warning…<p>

Suddenly all became deathly quiet, and it took only a moment for Asbel to realize that the wheezing sounds had ceased. Panicked he leapt to his feet to his mothers bedside. Without the rise and fall of her chest she truly appeared dead.

"Mother? No...not now!" The other two quickly awoke at the sound of his outcry.

"What's going on?" Nausicaa asked, coming to the side of the bed in an instant.

"She stopped breathing..." Asbel uttered anxiously, growing more and more terrified by the minute.

"Her lungs are giving up." The doctor added. "Her nerves aren't sending signals to the muscles for breathing."

"Nerves?" Nausicaa repeated and apprehensively checked the woman's pulse; it was already slowing down into a dangerously lethargic, intermittent throb.

"Is there anything we can do to restart her lungs?" Nausicaa demanded.

"We can try artificial chest compressions to prolong her life, but that won't help her to resume breathing on her own."

"Start those first." The doctor had already begun to clear away the quilt covers. Nausicaa suddenly remembered the emergency medical kit and flew over in a rush, opening the case to see what might possibly help. Her hands felt the many bottles while her mind ran through the list of names and purposes of the different concoctions inside.

The tiny black vial! It was a respiratory stimulant, able to cause respiratory muscle contractions! Was this the appropriate usage for it? She had no idea, but it just might give enough of a push for the woman to start breathing again. After a few seconds of furiously rummaging, she found the petite glass tube and ran back over to the bed.

"Doctor, can you find the vessels that lead to the lungs and heart?" She inquired imperatively.

"Yes."

"This is Theophylline. Can you inject it directly into those blood vessels?" A grave expression spread over the physician's features and he hesitated.

"That is a toxin; I must warn you of the risks."

"I know, but it can stimulate respiratory muscles. This may be our only option… do you have any other stimulants?"

"None that are strong enough to restart breathing."

"Then please; there's not much time. Asbel?" The girl turned to him for his approval, and he nodded in response after several moments of consideration.

"Let's try it." With a needle, the doctor drew up a minuscule volume of the chemical and neared the bed. Expectancy and fear saturated the air as the needle went into the skin and the plunger gradually expelled the contents into her bloodstream. Nausicaa firmly clasped Asbel's hand and waited in tension as the seconds silently ticked by, while the doctor resumed compressions to keep the brain and internal organs well supplied with blood. After a minute the princess began to doubt her decisions: had she inadvertently sped up the woman's death, rather than saved her? What if the chemical really was toxic, and poisoned her muscles instead of stimulated them? Suddenly the doctor stopped his actions; everyone held their breath as the anxiety surged through the ceiling.

"It's working." He declared, slightly in awe. Everyone leaned forward to see the patient's chest rising and falling, albeit at a slightly faster pace than normal. As her lungs resumed their function, relief washed over them in a refreshing wave and they finally felt able to breathe with her.

"I must say that was some fast thinking and ingenuity there, miss." The doctor praised when everyone's adrenaline levels receded. "I had never thought of using a plant toxin in that way." Nausicaa politely accepted the compliment, while Asbel slipped his arm around her shoulders and pressed his lips to her temple.

"You really are quite amazing. Thank you." He whispered gratefully. His mother remained stable for the rest of the night, for the worst was over. The three caretakers relaxed their tight watch over her, growing confident of her slow and steady recovery.

* * *

><p>"Do you have a spare room with access to irrigation?" Nausicaa asked Asbel the next morning during breakfast.<p>

"What are you up to now?" He bounced back suspiciously; she always had the most unrelated requests for the strangest ideas in that resourceful mind of hers. The girl laughed merrily at his response.

"I want to build a lab to irrigate pure water through some more temulsa plants. That way we will always have enough fresh temulsa leaves for boiling the medicine."

"Oh… I think I know of the right place." When they finished eating he brought her to a small room at the edge of the building; it was near their kitchen but also next door to a water spout, directly connected to the well outdoors.

"This should work wonderfully." Nausicaa beamed when she saw it.

"Do you need help?"

"No, I think I'll be fine. You can stay with your mother. I'll come find you if I need anything."

"Allright; have fun!" He hollered as he left. He returned to his mother's room to sit by her, and eventually started talking to her. Nausicaa had told him earlier that people in comas could still hear and recognize voices, so speaking to her might help her wake up… He fully trusted Nausicaa's expertise, often drawn from astute observations, and heeded her advice. At first the boy wasn't really sure what to say, feeling self conscious and awkwardly conversing with himself. But over time he relaxed, and began to tell his mother random things: how Pejite was doing, the newest gossip around town, his adventures to Merinth and back. He found himself describing Nausicaa, telling his mother of her strange yet lovable personality, quirky personal habits, and selfless acts of love upon protective instincts. He stopped and chuckled when he realized how much he had divulged.

"Wish you could meet her soon." He ended softly with a smile, and glanced down at his mother. A frown strayed across his features as a curious thought flitted through his mind: what if she could hear every word he had spoken? What if her mind was untouched by the disease and still incredibly active - even though her body lay unresponsive? That was even funnier an idea to dwell upon, and he patted her hand lightly.

"Don't worry; you'll meet her when you wake up." He added reassuringly. "I'm gonna go check on her, make sure she hasn't gotten into mischief." The prince rose and left a servant to watch over his mother while he returned to Nausicaa.

He found the girl still hard at work, but for a moment thought he had walked into the wrong room. The place looked almost unrecognizable: an hour ago it was completely empty but now it had transformed into an exotic area, with pure, pristine water trickling smoothly in troughs everywhere. It appeared organized and artistic, with water containers of all shapes and sizes, placed high and low, all stacked in an orderly fashion. He wondered exactly how much temulsa she planned to grow in here… hopefully not the entire room, for that would most certainly be a waste of her artistic landscaping.

"Hi." She sang when she finally noticed him. "How does it look?" She asked; he continued to stare in awe at the sight before him.

"Wow… It's beautiful." He managed to utter; the girl beamed at his praise.

"Did you do this in an hour?" He murmured, still amazed.

"Yeah." The girl replied with a quizzical smile.

"Is there anything you _don't_ know how to do?"

"Of course! I just don't know what they are yet." Asbel laughed; he would probably spend the rest of his lifetime simply trying to keep up with her.

* * *

><p>"She's getting stronger every day." Nausicaa came to stand by Asbel, looking down at his mother. The woman still lay comatose, though not as frightfully pale before - so that she merely appeared asleep. The faintest hue of colored seemed to be returning to her cheeks.<p>

"Yes; the medicine is working." Asbel answered optimistically. Presently a serious expression settled over Nausicaa's features and she turned to him.

"Asbel, I have to go back to the Valley. The sick ones at home might not have survived." The boy glanced at her, and nodded in understanding.

"Right. You sure you don't need to rest?"

"No, I'm fine." He observed her concernedly; she seemed a little tired after last night.

"I'm just worried you're working yourself too hard. You barely got any rest since we left Merinth."

"I can handle it. Just keep giving her the tea, and keep the water running under the lab." She placed a quick kiss on his lips, and smiled at him.

"I'll be back in two days." She promised him.

Early the next morning she left on her glider and reached the Valley before sundown. She spent the rest of that day checking on the sick, and helping them regain their strength during their weakest stages of their recovery. After a lovely dinner reunited with loved ones and close friends, she got ready for bed and then practically crashed onto her mattress (which she had sorely missed) and fell asleep with Teto happily curled up against her. It truly felt wonderful to be home again.

The following day she was up at the crack of dawn, energy relatively replenished and ready to start another busy day. The girl spent hours cleaning up her "secret" lab deep down in the heart of the tower, reorganizing the plants in order to make room for her newly acquired collection from Kerlin. She carefully gathered all her treasured new possessions from the famous doctor, and stored them in safe places, away from extreme temperatures or water damage.

All the while in the Valley her thoughts kept wandering back to Asbel. It was ridiculous how much she thought about him: how was he doing, what was he up to? Where was he now? Maybe he's with his mother at the moment, or boiling tea? She almost despised herself for being so preoccupied, so smitten that her brain couldn't leave him alone for more than thirty minutes. Her own strange behaviors drove her insane! She constantly wondered how he was faring, what he was thinking, what he might be needing help with...eventually she gave up trying to snap out of her pathetic state. Deep within her heart she partially enjoyed this well-meaning obsession, for it was evidence of her affection for him... she realized that the many consecutive hours she spent with him on the airship had already integrated him into her life.

_And it's only going to get worse._ She mumbled sarcastically to herself.

If she would have these "withdrawal" symptoms, living in separate countries would be more difficult than she imagined. So when she flew back to Pejite the next day and saw him down the hallway, she ran towards him with joy, as if she hadn't seen him in ages. He received her with open arms and gladly absorbed the impact of the embrace.

"God, I missed you." She sighed, relieved to feel his arms around her again. She closed her eyes to feel him chuckling amusedly against her.

"You did? It's only been two days."

"That's forty-eight hours!" She protested emphatically.

"And?"

"You know how long that can feel?!" She returned in an animated fashion.

"Only because you cram so much into a single hour." She was about to reply but he silenced her with a light kiss on her lips.

"Missed you too." He admitted. "How was the Valley?"

"Good…" she trailed off; the Pejite caught the strange tone in her voice.

"Everyone with Gullera is recovering well?"

"The young child had already died, but the others are slowly getting better."

"Oh… sorry to hear that."

"It's all right… is your mother awake yet?"

"No." He answered calmly, though she sensed the slightest bit of anxiety from deep within him.

"Keep talking to her; she'll be awake soon."

"I'll start singing if I have to."

* * *

><p>Nausicaa stood by the windowsill in Asbel's room, overlooking all of Pejite as the moon casted a mysterious shade of blue over the sandy-golden buildings. She took a deep breath and inhaled the cool night air; in an odd way Pejite felt like another home away from the Valley… perhaps because it was Asbel's city, and by extension she regarded it as a place for comfort and security as well. Her heart definitely felt more at ease here, now that Asbel was always within arm's reach. She was just reflecting on these strange observations when he came to stand by her. They briefly exchanged glances and a smile; Asbel watched her for a few moments before speaking up.<p>

"You like it here?" He began gently.

"Yes." She replied: it was a unique city with a different culture but she enjoyed it just the same.

"Can you imagine yourself living here?" He prodded; she sensed him steering the conversation and she raised an eyebrow.

"What are you asking?" She inquired cautiously, before they diverged down different lines of thought and tumbled into miscommunications. The boy waited for a moment before speaking candidly the thoughts on his mind.

"Stay here with me; move to Pejite." He finally revealed, then nudged with an even quieter voice, "Rule with me." The girl heard these words and were slightly surprised. The idea had crossed her mind in the past, but she had never seriously given much thought to it. His last statement also had a mysterious ring to it...did he just...?

"Are you asking me to marry you?" The questiom caught Asbel off guard and he stopped to think.

"…Eventually."

"What?" She chirped and cocked her head in a bird-like fashion at his strange answer. He laughed at her confused expression.

"I think we both agree that we're not quite ready for that yet... unless you want to get married now?" It was his turn to be nervous.

"No... not necessarily." She answered slowly.

"Exactly. Which is why I'm asking you to move here first; see if you like living here. And if you do, then we can think about getting married, when the time is right." He watched her head give the most imperceptible nod, though deep within her eyes he noticed hesitation. She found it to be a very sensible proposition, but wondered if she had the stamina to leave the Valley. Those lush green hills and ever-changing winds were her home - where she had grown up all her life as princess, and died once to protect...with villagers and houses that she knew well and loved dearly. Asbel recognized the expression on her face when she was thinking hard, and decided to let her mull over the idea. He brought a hand to her face, and tenderly ran his fingers through her hair.

"Something's bothering you..." He said softly, and her eyes flickered to him nervously. "Think about it?" The girl nodded, more apparently this time.

"I will." They spent the rest of the evening enjoying each other's company, simply happy to be together in the present moment.

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><p><strong>Ahh, thank you lovely readers for reading! Hope this story has been living up to your expectations. A couple last dialogues to mention, and then we're done! <strong>


	22. Doubts and Concerns

**Hahaha surprised? Keep up people! :D ok I admit… I'm trying hard to finish this before I go back to school. It has been a great journey, but it has eaten up many hours of free time. Which is why I love writing it. :') I can totally understand why writers have love-hate relationships with their writing.**

**Date: 1/12/14**

**Disclaimers: Miyazaki's characters, except for Tersa, Kitson, and Jack. Those folks are mine. ;)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 22: Doubts and Concerns<strong>

It had been three relaxing days for Nausicaa since coming back to Pejite, taking turns with Asbel to care for his mother. When one needed a break the other would stay behind to chat with her, for occasionally they noticed responses from the patient: a slight twitch of a finger, or the faintest motion of the head. They knew her body was gradually recovering, and continued to provide support, frequently speaking words of encouragement. Staying with her all day sometimes sent the two of them into long conversations with each other... until sometimes Nausicaa wondered if it should be better described as his mother eavesdropping on conversations between the couple.

On one peaceful evening Nausicaa and Asbel lay sprawled out on the floor of the bedroom eating a bowl of fruits and berries. Nausicaa had found it in the kitchen earlier that day and practically ordered Asbel to eat some after dinner. They ended up taking it back into his mother's bedroom and were happily chatting away under the open window that ushered in the refreshing cool night air. Somehow the conversation drifted to the topic of Nausicaa's enthusiasm toward insects.

"You remember that time you leapt in front of that insect in the jungle?" Asbel started.

"Which time?" The girl propped herself up on one elbow, facing him.

"See?" Asbel chastised. "You've done it so many times you don't remember."

"No, I have too many insect friends." She said confidently, completely disregarding his rebuke. "Which insect?"

"The crazy beetle! The time right after we met Kerlin."

"Oh! That one wasn't crazy. He was a sweet one."

"What?" Asbel yelped. "In that second I really thought you were trying to commit suicide."

"Do I look suicidal to you? Actually don't answer that." She looked away furtively, while Asbel barely managed to cough out a laugh.

"I distinctly remember you standing there, talking to the angry thing like it was a person."

"It was scared; I heard its thoughts." She explained, thinking back to the incident. "Couldn't you tell by its actions at least?"

"Can you really read their minds?" He inquired, regarding her curiously. The girl's expression grew slightly serious.

"I can usually tell what they're thinking, yes."

"Can you read my mind?" He questioned almost excitedly.

"No; you're absolutely cryptic." She sat up and declared without hesitation, and Asbel laughed at her animated reaction.

"Not true; you usually can guess pretty accurately what I'm thinking about. You're almost as good as Lastelle was."

"No…" She replied disbelievingly. "I can't beat the twin."

"Mmm you'd be surprised." Asbel affirmed, then continued mulling over something.

"Humans should all evolve to be telepathic;" He declared a minute later. "No more confusion and miscommunications." Nausicaa chuckled.

"That would take the fun out of everything."

"Fun?" He bounced back. "So you enjoy torturing me by leaving me in the dark." A mischievous grin tugged at her lips, though it was combined with an innocent sweetness that drove Asbel insane.

"Sometimes." She mused delicately, for she did love seeing his confused expressions. "But not intentionally."

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><p>The next morning Nausicaa awoke earlier than usual, and started boiling a new cup of temulsa for Asbel's mother. When it was done brewing she headed straight to the bedroom with the cup of tea in hand. Upon entering the room, the girl placed the medicine on the bedside table and observed the woman asleep on the bed. The color of her face grew more and more vibrant each day, while her wheezing gradually receded. For the last day or two her breathing had sounded calm and even.<p>

"Good morning, ma'am. Hope you're feeling better." She sang respectfully in a sweet voice; even though the girl knew her first name, she still treated her elders with respect. The young woman walked over to the window.

"I'm going to open the blinds a bit. It won't be direct sunlight, just a little more brightness in the room." Nausicaa lifted the curtains a couple inches and marveled at the view for a minute.

"It's a beautiful day today. I bet you never get tired of this view." She commented, then began organizing the room. All the while she kept talking to Asbel's mother, as if she were a close friend sitting there listening to her.

"Asbel's still sleeping…though I'm sure he'll be here soon; he checks on you first thing in the morning." The young lady chirped as she finished her trek around the room and arrived back at the window. Presently she leaned out over the edge, focusing her attention on something outside.

"Is that a garden down below?" She mused out loud. "I'm gonna have to go down to see it later today."

"Does it have a fountain in the middle?" An unknown female voice chimed from behind; it was lower and older, but still rang of kindness. The girl swiftly wheeled around, hardly believing her ears; Asbel's mother had turned her head towards the window and was observing Nausicaa from the bed.

"Hi!" The princess gasped excitedly; her heart was elated and she was internally leaping with gladness. "Yes it has a fountain."

"That's Lastelle's Garden. I had it designed three years ago."

"It's beautiful." She returned, already walking towards the woman on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Nausicaa, am I right?" The princess nodded. "You have a face to match your lovely voice." The girl was about to thank her for the compliment when Asbel entered the room.

"Mother?" The man was so stunned that he stood frozen in the doorway, eyes wider than ever.

"Hello!" His mother replied rather joyfully. Nausicaa laughed with glee, still ecstatic to see the woman conscious, and suddenly remembered the cup of tea next to the bed.

"Almost forgot; this is the temulsa tea that is helping you heal. You should drink it while its still warm."

"Oh? The one you fished out of... what was it... Merinth right?" Nausicaa exhibited a look of pure astonishment, while Asbel stared at his mother. The older woman began chuckling at the priceless expressions on their faces.

"You actually heard me?" Asbel returned, and exchanged glances with Nausicaa. The princess laughed at Asbel's disturbed expression.

"What else did you tell her?"

* * *

><p>"Stay here first; I'm gonna see if they're home." Tersa instructed; Kitson nodded and remained beyond the front the house. In reality Tersa knew her parents would be inside… she needed to talk to them about Kitson. The youngster had followed her around the world, and being an orphan, did not have a place to stay. Tersa wanted to know if Kitson could live with them. It was a crazy idea, but she couldn't just leave him to fend for himself. Her parents were practical people, who would take some convincing before doing something so radical. Nevertheless, they were also very kind-hearted, and when asked for any kind of help they would never decline. The short-haired girl walked into her home for the first time since being away on her journey, gladly greeted her parents, and then laid out the situation for them. Tersa had already accepted him as a younger brother, and was willing to take responsibility for him - he was young and still needed someone to keep an eye on him. Her parents were surprised of course, but eventually agreed. It didn't make sense to send him to any other family in the Valley when he had already become such close friends with Tersa. Twenty minutes later Tersa came back out, and spotted Kitson happily exploring a field of crops. She decided to go to him now and ask if he wanted to stay; she had never brought up the idea to him before, since her parents' approval would determine the possibility of it in the first place.<p>

"Hey; I have a question for you." Tersa declared when she found him.

"Yeah?" He piped cheerfully. He also had been thinking about his lack of shelter and food here… but when you've lived on the streets for your whole life with barely enough food to survive, nothing really worried you anymore.

"Do you want to stay in the Valley?"

"I don't know." He sighed exaggeratedly. "Wherever I go I'm gonna have to find a place to live."

"What if you stayed here?" His eyes widened and his face took on a excited, but contemplative expression.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Stay as in stay forever?"

"Yeah." Tersa answered again, a smile spreading over her face; she watched the boy grin back at her with enthusiasm.

"I like that idea." They eventually turned around and began heading back towards the house.

"We might ask you to help my dad out." Tersa added. "He's been slowing down lately and needs help running the business."

"Ok." He replied happily. "I need to learn a trade anyway - a normal one."

"Good… pickpocketing doesn't work here anymore." She counseled.

"I know. You people don't even put money in your pockets."

"Did you-"

"Don't worry I didn't! It's by observation only. Everyone's pockets are way too flat." Tersa reached out a hand and ruffled his hair; the boy ducked away and laughed.

* * *

><p>Two more days slipped away before Nausicaa's eyes; his mother seemed to have reached a slightly slower phase of recovery. Although the older woman had regained mental consciousness, the rest of her body and her voluntary muscles were still sluggish and unresponsive. As a result Nausicaa and Asbel continued to spend time in her bedroom, talking to her and keeping her company. She was able to eat small portions of food throughout the day, in addition to drinking the tea. One thing was certain: the tea cured Gullera effectively, and it would only be a matter of time before her health would be completely restored. Nausicaa began wondering if her job here in Pejite was almost finished; she had stayed by Asbel and ensured his mother's recovery. Was it time for her to return to the Valley? The princess undoubtedly enjoyed the time she spent in Pejite - she practically felt like she had been on vacation the whole time. But as all good things must end… she realized she needed to return home eventually.<p>

That evening Asbel found her on the rooftop, gazing out over all of Pejite. In the lamplight her expression was solemn and melancholic, with a slight frown clouding her features. It didn't take much guessing for Asbel to know what bothered her.

"You need to go, don't you. To your people." He asked softly; the girl sighed and continued to absorb the view. She was not one to escape reality or responsibility.

"Yes... Is that allright?"

"If you want to go." His tone of voice, however, made it clear that he didn't want her to return to the Valley. Nausicaa emitted a single pitiful laugh at that statement.

"I don't want to go any more than you want me to leave." She answered honestly. "I mean what if I need you?" Asbel didn't say anything for a minute as the two simply stood side by side in the cool evening air.

"You've never needed anyone in your life Nausicaa." He suddenly stated. "The real question is, how many people need you?" Her mind froze in surprise at that comment and she turned to see a slight smile, but also an overwhelmingly bittersweet expression on his face. His voice sounded slightly resigned - heartbroken even...as of he was the suffering one in the relationship - the one that poured his heart out, only to be left behind as only one of many admirers, all vying for her attention. And now she was abandoning him, to spend time with her other people that also needed her attention. He quietly strolled away from her and plopped down on a raised ledge.

Mystified, Nausicaa stopped in her tracks to think for a minute; had she accidentally made this a one-sided relationship? Had she not given him enough attention, or was she simply too strong of a personality for him? But didn't she just spend five days with him...? A second later she realized the actual problem underlying his strange comment.

_He thinks I don't need him, _she thought to herself.

Her heart simultaneously sympathized with his insecurity and grew irritated at his doubts of her love. He needed reassurance, and she intended to give it to him.

"No… you're wrong." She shook her head, a slight smile of determination spreading across her face. Turning around, she glanced at her man, now standing by the other end of the rooftop. A fire started in her soul as she slowly prowled her way towards him. When she spoke again her voice was low and forceful.

"I may have my own kingdom, know how to fly planes, develop cures and fight wars. I don't depend on you in the way normal lovers do, but believe me when I say that I love you." Her commanding words rose like a strong and steady flame, powered by a deep passion that now appeared in her eyes.

"I've flown halfway across the world with you, talked to insects and dealt with kings for you, walked straight into death to protect you - if that doesn't show you that I need you I don't know how else to tell you." Asbel stood still and listened intently - his eyes speaking volumes and gradually reflecting the same fiery glint, but tinted with surprise, captivation, and admiration. From several feet away the girl approached him, her earnest eyes dancing in liveliness. "Just because I don't fall apart when I'm away from you doesn't mean I need you any less. I love you more than my own soul and I need you more than anyone else on this planet - don't you dare doubt that for a moment."

She ended so authoritatively that Asbel remained speechless. Her eyes seemed to blaze with passion, looking deeply into his, demanding him to respond. Her fiery expression practically communicated "So shut up and kiss me", and that's exactly what Asbel did. The Pejite simply took her face in his hands and kissed her like never before. The fire she had started had now spread to him, taking over his whole body as he leaned in hard, pressing his lips hungrily over hers like he hadn't been allowed to kiss her in a thousand years. She responded just as passionately, her fingers finding their way into his hair and smoothly sliding over his scalp. She held onto him like it was her own life, precious and dear to her. What she had said was true; she had never loved anyone as she loved him now. Her strong character made no difference; she still loved him and needed him like any normal person would. Together they plunged into passion and desire, hunger and demand, yearning and thirst for each other.

Gradually the raging fire lessened into a gentle, unwavering flame. The two drew away slightly, until they were panting hard against each other, cheek to cheek. Nausicaa touched her lips to his one more time, like a poet emphasizing a refrain.

"I love you; don't you ever doubt that again." She breathed to him, and he tightened his arms around her to pull her closer to himself.

"I know." He replied in a hoarse whisper. The girl relaxed slightly, now that she had gotten that message through to him. But it didn't change the fact that she still had to leave for the Valley tomorrow morning.

"I will miss you more than you know." She breathed, as her eyes softened and her fingers trailed wistfully over his lips. She felt him curl his fists around the fabric of her shirt, and knew she wouldn't be the only one having trouble saying goodbye - even if it was a temporary one.

* * *

><p>On her flight back to the Valley she continued to ponder things... Did her words to him make any sense? Was love supposed to entail dependence, a feeling of weakness without your other half? Were you supposed to fall apart when your partner wasn't around? Because she most certainly didn't - never had that problem. She was resilient, independent, and had been quite solitary all of her life. She didn't really need Asbel in the sense of requiring his presence in order to survive.<p>

But on the other hand, her thoughts never strayed away from him for more than a second: in everything she did she thought about him. She had never fretted over or cared for anyone so much in her life, and always made sure he was living well, feeling happy, staying healthy... He meant so much to her that taking him away from her would ruin her - leave her feeling empty with no one to look after. But was that all? She simply needed someone to love? Or did she require more than that? She searched her heart and affirmed that he was more that just a place to dump her affections… She loved him for him: his slightly anxious personality, his fierce protectiveness, his loyalty to her... She couldn't bear to lose such a wonderful individual from her life. To say she didn't need him would be false.

When she returned to the Valley, business continued as usual: she spent time helping the villagers, healing the sick, and maintaining her lab. However, she felt as though she also missed out on a whole bunch of events in the week she was gone. For example, Kitson chose to stay in the Valley to learn the useful trade of being a blacksmith. Tersa essentially adopted him into the family as a younger brother, as her father had been looking for an apprentice for some time. Villagers had updated the farming system, crops were growing as they should - even the plants in her underground lab shot up a few inches in her absence. Those recovering from Gullera had improved greatly, and she felt indebted to Tersa for loyally managing the temulsa medicine in her place. Retrospectively she wondered if it was right for her to be absent for so long. Overall, everyone was faring wonderfully without her of course, but they still needed her to make decisions sometimes, especially regarding nature and the nearby Jungle. She worried the day would come when her people needed her for something, and she would be away… They could technically go to the wise Lord Yupa, but he always had enough on his mind at any given moment. She realized that she still had responsibilities here in the Valley, which meant that moving to Pejite wasn't really an option for her at the moment.

Along with that thought came a very uncomfortable feeling of worry, and it constantly nagged her throughout the week. Asbel would be disappointed for sure; she would have to come up with a solution, and in the meantime hopefully he would understand.

A week later she found herself flying back to Pejite to see him. She had a terribly hard time staying away from him, especially without any method of communication… until eventually her heart took over her mind and she didn't care if the entire Valley teased her for being so pathetically in love. This time she found him in the busiest part of downtown, to oversee some trade transactions. Pleasant surprise spread across his face in the form of a wide smile when he saw her.

"I thought you would stay in the Valley for longer." He started, treating Nausicaa to a warm embrace.

"I had to come see you; my mind was starting to go crazy." Asbel's expression suddenly turned serious.

"You can't keep flying back and forth like this, Nausicaa."

"I know. But I plan to, at least until your mother is well again."

"And after my mother is fully recovered? Would you be willing to move to Pejite?" The girl sighed internally, while his earnest eyes stared into hers expectantly for her answer. She didn't want to answer him directly, and honestly didn't have the willpower to decide.

"I would follow you anywhere; you know that. But I can't say for sure… my people might still need me." She observed him carefully, nervous about his reaction. He didn't seem too shocked, but his eyes gave away his disappointment.

"Yes. Of course." He mumbled, a little put out. She quickly brought a hand to his face, bringing his attention back to her.

"Hey... We'll find a solution." Her voice nudged encouragingly. "I can't be away from you for more than a week."

"And I worry about you for every second you are out of my sight."

"I know…" She smiled, then decided change the subject. "How is your mother?"

"Slowly getting better; she's still too weak to get out of bed." She nodded and they decided to walk back towards his home.

* * *

><p>Asbel's mother had recovered at a reasonable rate and was faring extremely well. She didn't need as much attention around the clock, leaving Nausicaa and Asbel the opportunity to spend some private time together, to Nausicaa's delight. There was no point in kidding herself; she had flown all the way to Pejite really to see Asbel, not monitor his mother's recovery. At they moment they were relaxedly strolling through one of the main streets in the city, while the late afternoon sun warmed their backs and cast it's gentler rays over the area. The time of day had just passed the peak business hours, so the avenue still bustled with liveliness without causing claustrophobia or chaos. Nausicaa hopped from one place to another, mesmerized by the places, people, and curious merchandise.<p>

"There's so many interesting markets and shops…" She commented to Asbel, who chuckled at her.

"If you stay here you'll get to explore all of them." He responded. The princess gave him a half-glare, but amusement lit up her eyes and tugged the corners of her lips. He was obviously using all methods to sneakily persuade her to live with him.

"What?" He asked almost rebelliously, sensing her change in mood.

"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do Asbel." Pretty soon he could be writing out a list of pros and cons (with the pros list being longer) for moving to Pejite.

"You know I mean it." He replied in a more serious tone. She glanced at him, her expression softening as well.

"I know… I'm still thinking about it."

"Is that an underhanded way of saying no?" She laughed; he read her better than she realized. They continued walking for several minutes, until Nausicaa exhaled loudly.

"I just… don't think I'm ready to leave the Valley behind yet."

"It's not that far away; you can go back to visit anytime."

"No, I mean my people. I'm tossing away my responsibilities if I neglect them when they still need me."

"Oh…" was all he could say. "Do you even want to stay in the Valley?"

"That's not related." She replied somewhat coldly; Asbel frowned at that response.

* * *

><p>"So you're not moving to Pejite." He finally asked her directly the next afternoon, after a full day of her beating around the bush. The girl grimaced, a little agitated over the question in addition to his persistence for a clear answer.<p>

"No," She finally stated explicitly. "At least not yet; I can come visit you, every week…" The boy furrowed his brows at the idea.

"That sounds crazy - it would waste fuel, and your time. We could take turns flying to each other's countries?"

"That's an insane trip for you too..." She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "This is insane either way."

"Look it's fine if you don't want to move to Pejite-" Asbel consoled, but was cut off by Nausicaa.

"It's not that I don't want to…" She sighed in irritation. "I can't leave my people right now."

"Why not?" He argued suddenly. "If you don't want to be in the Valley, why force yourself to stay?"

"It doesn't matter what I want;" She emphasized, wondering when he would understand her words. "They need me and I can't leave yet."

"Nausicaa, you don't owe them anything." His voice switched to an imploring tone; the girl was even more offended by that statement.

"It's not about owing them!" She cried earnestly; she had a responsibility to fulfill, not a debt to repay.

"Exactly! So it's a choice; you can stay or you can leave."

"No. I didn't choose my people." She hissed. "I was born into this position."

"Yes but you can change that!" He shouted in frustration, thoroughly annoyed that she still didn't understand his argument. She wasn't obligated to remain ruler of the Valley; she was an individual, with a right to decide for her own life.

"You don't understand." She enunciated in bitter anger, losing her patience. "This is the job I was given-" But Asbel cut her off abruptly.

"You can change that- No LISTEN to me -" He ordered loudly, but she was not paying attention. She had enough of his obstinate arguments and began shouting over him.

"-the job I was born with-"

"Nausicaa-"

"-and I HAVE to stick with it!" She yelled with finality. She was sick of hearing his comments about electing her own way of life.

"That is a CHOICE!" He roared back.

"No! I have no choice!" Nausicaa snarled in fury.

"Yes you do. It's your life."

"And my life belongs to the people." She ended in an unyielding voice. At this all thoughts stopped and Asbel stared at her in silence. Her convictions were rooted so deeply within her… there was nothing more he could do to change her mind. He relinquished his grip to get his way, and in his mind he stepped back, accepting defeat.

Nausicaa registered pain in his eyes, and searched him worriedly. Did he finally understand her point of view, or was he giving up?

"You have to let me go." She whispered as gently as she could. The man continued to stare at her quietly, though heartache lay just beneath the surface.

"I'm not stopping you." He finally replied in a subdued and resigned manner, shifting the blame onto her shoulders. Her heart sank under the weight of that statement, and she tiredly lowered herself into the chair. She brought a hand to her forehead, deeply conflicted under the new realization: if she leaves now, she leaves by choice.

As much as she hated it, it was time to go. The Valley was her home, where people were counting on her return. She gritted her teeth and got up from her chair. She felt awful leaving him after an argument like this, but there was nothing more to be said. She headed for the door, but a second later halted her steps to do one last thing. In silence she neared Asbel; her hands found his shoulders and moved to his head, while her lips pressed a kiss into his hair. For several seconds she stayed, then drew away. At that moment their eyes met in a terrible silence and she couldn't hold her gaze to his beckoning expression. Without another word she left the room and flew back to the Valley.

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm everyone good so far? Thanks for reading! And reviews always make my day, so thank you to everyone that has read, favorited, or reviewed. :D<strong>


	23. Questions and Answers

**Harhar I've got another chapter for you! Seriously this is record breaking speed for my writing. **

**Date: 1/17/14**

**Disclaimers: I keep forgetting that Kerlin, Sarkil, and the scientists are my characters as well. Haha whoops... the scientists are actually loosely based off of people I worked with in research! :D**

* * *

><p><strong>Ch 23 Questions and Answers<strong>

Nausicaa's troubles followed her back to her homeland, and for several days the questions pestered her unceasingly with no feasible solution in sight. She loved Asbel desperately but couldn't shake off her responsibilities. How were they going to stay together if they couldn't even see each other? Flying back and forth was undeniably crazy... They couldn't continue doing that forever, eventually forcing them to either break off the relationship, or have one move to live with the other. That left them with only two possibilities: either she would move to Pejite or Asbel would move to the Valley. It wasn't a matter of wish or desire; she wished she could move to Pejite right then and there, leaving everything behind! But to abandon her people would be irresponsible and selfish - and she couldn't bring herself to do that.

"How is this going to work?" She mumbled aloud to herself one evening, standing alone in her room of her tower. The sun had just left the horizon, leaving behind barely enough light to illuminate the Valley, while her own room harbored gloominess without the lamps lit yet. The grey stone walls only answered with rock solid security.

_"I can't leave this place even if I wanted to." _She told herself in her mind.

She kept emphasizing to herself that she had no choice. Asbel, being the caring soul he was, had tried to empower her with personal rights and free will. She was grateful to him for trying to look out for her, but he still didn't understand. When you ruled a nation and an entire population depended on you, you didn't always have a choice. The country was hers to lead and protect; she had a moral obligation to remain as ruler, even if her heart desired otherwise. Her personal wishes would always come second to the well-being of the people: a necessary sacrifice for the country she was born to serve.

"I'm sorry Asbel," She whispered weakly. "It's not because I don't want to."

Nausicaa was curious why he didn't understand her perspective - he stood as Prince of Pejite after all. It was for that very reason that she also never asked him to move to the Valley; she knew all too well of the responsibilities and would never force him to make such a sacrifice for her.

But what now? Their lives were in a stalemate: neither could make a move in their chess game of life... king chased queen, but couldn't catch her without destroying the throne. Maybe the time wasn't right yet? In other words, they could promise their hearts to one another and wait until later to try being together again. But why wait on love… if not now, then when? Her thoughts were interrupted by another female voice in the room.

"Thinking about something?" Nausicaa turned around with a jolt and found Tersa standing in the doorway. The friendly intruder grew concerned at the sober expression on the princess's face. She quietly entered, ready to listen if Nausicaa needed someone to confide in.

"Asbel asked me to stay in Pejite." Nausicaa spoke up quietly after a short moment of silence.

"And you said no?" The princess shook her head. "Because you didn't want to leave home…" Tersa prodded.

"I'm the Princess of the Valley - I can't leave." Nausicaa sighed, bravely accepting the reality. "We ended up arguing about it." Tersa frowned and remained thoughtful for a minute.

"If he can't accept all of you, including your position here, then he doesn't deserve you." She spoke gently, though internally she was surprised Asbel would really be that unsympathetic… if Nausicaa still loved him (which she probably did) maybe Tersa could talk some sense into him. The best friend was willing to utilize all her methods to prevent anyone from hurting the princess.

"I don't think that's the problem…" Nausicaa replied carefully, going to the window and absorbing the panoramic of her beloved homeland. "He kept saying I have the freedom to leave the Valley."

"Don't you?"

"No." She answered grumpily, then changed her mind. "I don't know…" She whined. "Do I?"

"Why don't you ask Obaba about the prophecy? See if you're supposed to lead the Valley for the rest of your life?"

"That doesn't make sense," She replied, pensively wandering to her bed and sitting down. "Prophecies are fulfilled, not followed."

"Still, you could make it easier for yourself to fulfill the prophecy." Tersa commented.

"If there's anything left to be fulfilled." Nausicaa drawled. She already fought a war and died once for her people… what more could the heavens possibly ask of her? She took her best friend's advice however, and went out in search for the aged grandmother later that evening. The charismatic ninety-year-old sat inside another room nearby, warming her hands over a fire.

"Obaba?" Nausicaa asked in her usual sweet voice, though this time it came out burdened and troubled.

"What bothers you, dear child?" The woman croaked in return.

"Does the prophecy say anything else about me - about the rest of my life?"

"Nothing more than 'restoring mankind's connection with the earth.'" The sage replied.

"Oh dear…" Nausicaa sighed hopelessly. "I could be doing that all my life. Obaba, does it say anything about me falling in love or getting married?" Nausicaa piped up again anxiously.

"No, child." She answered; Nausicaa thought she heard a hint of a chuckle in the old woman's voice.

The girl pursed her lips into a thin line, lost in thought...the prophecy was inconclusive. On the one hand there were no more distinct, dramatic events to occur under her name; her 'clad in blue, surrounded by fields of gold' act had been fulfilled. However, 'restoring mankind's connection with the earth' could be a long process - but did not necessarily require her to remain in the Valley. Or perhaps she already completed that job when she calmed the ohm herd and protected the pure sands under the Toxic Jungle from the destructive Tolmekians? Furthermore, there was no mention of a lifelong companion other than the Teto-bird on the tapestry. Maybe she was fated to live her life alone.

"Why are prophecies always so vague..." She grumbled.

"Prophecies are not meant to make choices for you." The kindly grandmother counseled. "You must make them yourself." At the sound of footsteps the princess looked up and saw Lord Yupa walking into the room.

"Nausicaa and Obaba. What are you two doing here?"

"Nausicaa has troubles." Obaba uttered.

"Hmm?" The man droned in his low voice, turning to the girl. "Nausicaa?"

"I'm going to find something else to do…" The comical old woman muttered slowly and inched out the door, in order to leave the two alone.

"I can't decide something." She began calmly as Lord Yupa listened thoughtfully. "Asbel wants me to live in Pejite with him." She watched as the man nodded slowly, his giant mustache twitching slightly - an indication he was contemplating the situation. A couple moments later he spoke up.

"And you love him, so you want to leave." He uttered in an fatherly tone.

"Yes- but I know the Valley still needs me!" She explained quickly, her earnest expression demonstrating how deeply conflicted she felt. Yupa remained silent for only several seconds before answering.

"Then you know what is right." He spoke gravely, with the authority and care of a loving parent. Nausicaa nodded a little dejectedly, for she treated Yupa's words like it was her own father speaking to her. She valued his opinion over everyone else's in the Valley, and would probably follow his advice at the end of the day. Presently she felt him place a hand on her shoulder.

"But the choice is yours." He added in a warm tone. "Should you decide to move, I will support you." The princess wore a grateful smile.

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>That night she stayed up late, simply thinking hard to herself. As she curled up against the wall under the window, she almost began to despair: they were too far away from each other! And neither one could leave their country. She had to remain in the Valley; that was decided with absolute certainty, once and for all. But what to do about Asbel? She loathed the thought of leaving him and breaking off the friendship - no, the love they had between them. Or perhaps it wasn't necessary to completely break ties with him… could they possibly compromise? He had demanded much from her - more than she could give, to her own disappointment.<p>

It wasn't fair to him. He deserved more than a crazy girl that couldn't even leave her house to live with him. She wondered how important it was to him that she move to Pejite… was it strong enough to be a deal breaker between them? The longer she thought the more burdened she became; it wasn't just a matter of living location… in the future would undoubtedly bring additional conflicts in allocating her time and her energy. A relationship involved more than a declaration that didn't require any change in actions. To put it bluntly, she would always be "married" to her homeland, and he to Pejite. Their countries would be a third (and fourth) party that needed consideration in everything they did.

Nausicaa sighed in melancholy. Whoever married her would be one very unfortunate soul.

* * *

><p>"Nausicaa, what are you doing?" Asbel muttered, standing by the window and staring blankly at the sky. A month had passed by and she hadn't returned... He had no clue where things stood between them. She left that fateful night without saying another word, leaving him completely perplexed for the entire duration of her absence. What was she doing now - giving him the cold shoulder, the silent treatment? Was she angry at him? He couldn't decide whether to fly to the Valley; what if she didn't want to see him and was trying to stay away from him? He wanted to respect her wishes - if only he knew what they were.<p>

For the longest time he didn't understand why she couldn't leave the Valley… until he considered the opposite possibility of him leaving Pejite. The silly girl had never bothered to ask, and consequently he never truly realized how impactful a decision it would be. The Pejite himself was extremely busy with his responsibilities in his country - and he had the help of the Mayor and the rest of the board. She was practically single-handedly ruling over the Valley; either her people were really easy to manage or she was incredibly competent.

Deep in contemplation, Asbel wondered if he should have even asked her to move to Pejite in the first place. He had meant his request from the bottom of his heart, for he genuinely wanted her with him for the rest of his life. When he realized her true dilemma, he tried to persuade her for her own good to follow what she desired. Perhaps he pushed too hard; and now he didn't know if she would come back to him or if she had left him for good…

A terrible feeling of cold fear ran through his soul at that last thought. Would she really leave him, after all she had promised him? If not, why hadn't she returned to Pejite yet - even after one month?

"When will Nausicaa be coming back?" His mother randomly asked him one day, as he brought lunch to her bedside.

"I don't know." The young man replied, his eyes exhibiting a bit of hopeless sorrow.

_I don't know if she ever will._ He thought tragically in his mind.

"She didn't tell you?" His mother regarded him carefully, wondering what happened between the two of them.

"No." Observing his melancholic expression, she decided to cheer him up.

"Have some faith; she's too responsible a person to simply disappear like that. What did you do to make her leave?"

"I asked her to stay in Pejite." The woman raised an eyebrow: that was a bold move from her son.

"She said no?"

"I don't know if she wants to stay in the Valley, or believes she can't leave her people." His mother nodded in understanding.

"Give her some time to think." She replied kindly, then added with a chuckle, "Besides, you're too in love to ever actually let her go."

"Let her go…" Asbel repeated pensively, and it immediately dawned on him. That's right! There were two parties involved - she may have left first, but he also had to let her go in order for this to actually happen. There was his solution! He would fly to her now; he was determined NOT to let them separate.

"Thanks mother!" He uttered excitedly, leaving the food and running away immediately. His mother didn't even have time to answer before he disappeared out the door. In shock the woman stared after him at the (now empty) doorway.

"You're welcome?" She had no idea for what.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile Nausicaa continued her deep contemplation and came out with one conclusion: Asbel would have to choose her. All of her. She stood by her identity as Princess of the Valley and her responsibilities as ruler. Although she loved him and had spoken of her love countless times, she knew she wouldn't be able to love him to the fullest - not while she had her country. So to put it harshly, she didn't have the right to choose him. It would be up to Asbel to take her in spite of her ties to her governmental job.<p>

That also meant she probably shouldn't go back to Pejite yet. It would be more appropriate for her stay put in the Valley, and hold off seeing him. That would give her more time to think, and a chance for him to pull away. If they could really go on without each other… Well then maybe it was better for the both of them. Their situation was undeniably tricky and their relationship easy to disintegrate; might as well start getting used to life without him again.

But about a week into her new resolution, it started to get painful. Her heart yelled at her for being so cold-blooded, and she began to pine over the situation - why couldn't she just love him?! Why be so cruel to restrain her feelings for him?

_"You love him, you fool!"_ Her mind screamed at her. "_Why do this to yourself?"_

Some days she couldn't stop thinking about her choice - how she might never be able to cherish him. Yes, it wasn't going to work out anyway, but that couldn't diminish the heartache she felt. No matter how many times she said goodbye to him in her mind, he kept coming back, until she tired herself out and despaired. It felt like self-inflicted torture: the same as forcing yourself to hold your hand under burning water, or a wound under acid - you miserably compelled yourself to do it even though it would sting with unbearable agony.

To distract her from the suffering she threw herself into her work and fully devoted 110% of her energy into ruling over the Valley. Being the emotionally strong woman she was, she maintained her regular outward demeanor and locked these conflicts deep within herself, only occasionally looking more solemn than usual.

But then he appeared to her in the night, during her dreams. One time she awoke in the middle of the night with tears in her eyes. It was a beautiful vision really: she stood there, watching him from a distance. In the dream there was absolutely nothing wrong - he was faring extremely well, laughing cheerfully and feeling content. Her heart filled to the brim with joy to see him prospering. Nevertheless, she purposely stayed hidden from his sight; there would be no contact with him. She couldn't be by his side, but as long as he was doing well, she would be satisfied. It was the most wonderful yet most frightening nightmare imaginable: so terrible yet so realistic. As Teto nudged her cheek in the darkness, the princess couldn't tell if her tears originated from happiness or from pain. At least in the dream the heavens were kind enough to take care of him, even when she couldn't.

One day she was out in the fields, mending some broken windmills, when she sensed something in the air. She scanned the skies for anything strange and didn't see any activity… perhaps she had been too stressed out over the last few days. Her mind wandered and she was considering going to Pejite sometime soon to find Asbel; she couldn't stand it much longer. As soon as her thoughts drifted to him, she received a surprise visit from someone.

"Nausicaa."

That smooth, lilting voice she knew so well. Her heart stopped and her breath hitched. When she turned to look at him, excitement ran through her soul. What a sight for her sore eyes! She was so stunned she didn't even know how to react. But wait - this is not how it was supposed to go. She checked herself and restrained her emotions before she lost control and went running into his arms.

"Asbel. What are you doing here?" Her voice was neither cold nor warm - slightly detached and somewhat concerned. He was unfazed by her outer composure and strode toward her.

"Coming to talk to you." He declared.

"About what?"

"What are you trying to do?" He demanded worriedly, searching her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you not come back to Pejite?" He asked in a gentler tone. The girl faltered, trying to decide how to answer.

"I needed time to think." She replied, which was a perfectly honest answer. Asbel stared skeptically at her for a moment, and then spoke up again in a rebuking tone.

"You should tell me that; not just leave without another word for an entire month! You left me in suspense, I couldn't tell what you wanted, whether or not to come after you."

She stood there in silence, not knowing what to say; he continued on.

"Look, I know you love your people, and I last thing I want to do is to stand in the way of that. I never want to see you miserable... even if it means losing you. So just say the word and you'll never see me again. If that is what you want." He ended quietly, and she grew nervous. What? He was throwing the decision back at her? She worried that she would never have the strength to stay away from him.

"You know that's incredibly hard to say when you're this close to me." She whispered weakly, in a voice that was barely audible.

"Is that a yes?"

"No; I'm as confused as you are!" She responded a little more strongly, but the frustration was still there.

"So you need more time. Time alone?" He asked her once more, already starting to draw away.

"No... It's painful living without you." She breathed achingly. His heart reached out to her and his mind was screaming at him to hold her! Nevertheless he restrained himself until they finished this conversation; he still had questions unanswered.

"Then what are you doing? To yourself, and to me?"

"I was trying to see how long I could live without you." Asbel was taken aback by her answer.

"Why?" She glanced to the side, and took a deep breath in preparation for what she had to say. After a few seconds she brought her gaze back to him, and spoke up in an unwavering voice. Her eyes were slightly tinted with sorrow.

"You deserve so much more than what I can give. My life will always be tied to my country; and it's not fair to you to have to compete with that." Asbel's heart stilled in his chest; this lay underneath it all? Her guilt towards him for not being the good life partner she ought to be?

"So you pretended I didn't exist." He prodded slowly, a slight frown spreading across his features.

"I wanted to see if I could go back to my old life."

"And did you succeed?" He inquired expectantly. She observed him carefully, bemused at his nervousness... Being away from him for some time allowed her the emotional distance to humor him a little.

"I don't know, you showed up before my trial period ended." He caught onto the slightest tint of mischief in her voice.

"I can go back and wait till you're finished." He returned seriously, though he was also messing with her.

"No!" She instantly replied, shocked back into seriousness. "I was going to fly to Pejite tomorrow." The man sighed, and though he didn't show it, internally he felt relieved.

"Didn't I tell you that you torture me whenever you leave me in the dark?" He chided her gently, while his eyes shown with love as he gazed down at her. The girl peered up at him apologetically.

"It wasn't intentional." She mumbled. Asbel sighed, stepping closer to her but not touching her. The girl almost felt light-headed when he moved nearer to her… why wouldn't he just hold her now? A month was long enough already, but having him stand in front of her and not touching her - that was plain cruel. From his expression it looked like he had something to say, so she waited patiently and would listen first.

"Truth is, I can't live without you either." He began candidly. "Every time you leave, it's like I stop functioning - I can't sleep, I can't think straight, I can barely eat... and I worry what kind of trouble you're always getting into." He emitted a short chuckle, before turning serious again. "But this time the worst part was, I felt terrified that you might not come back again." Pausing for a moment, he reached out a hand to touch her, but hesitated halfway. What if she didn't want his love? After all, she had deliberately lived without him for a month. He chose to restrain himself until he could figure out her intentions, and wouldn't force anything on her if she didn't want it. Nevertheless, he still had more to say.

"I understand that you don't want to move to Pejite, but please don't leave me forever." He stopped again, as he had difficulty saying what was on his mind. "I just…never want to be without you." His last sentence ended extremely quietly, as if the mere notion made him weary. Nausicaa had been listening in silence the entire time… and hearing these words reminded her of the things she had planned to tell him. In answer to his monologue, she took his indecisive hand and gazed earnestly into his eyes.

"Listen Asbel; not a single hour goes by that I don't think about you. I want you; and I want to be with you more than you know. I wish I could give you all of me, but I can't." Desperation flashed across her eyes at this statement. "Fate has given me responsibilities that I will carry as long as I live… so I can't leave my people - or else I'll never be able to face them again." Glancing away momentarily, she sighed and wet her lips.

"But what I can give I fully give to you… my heart and my soul is yours for eternity, if you'll take it. It has always been yours. And I promise you that whatever portion of my time, my energy, my resources that I can give, belongs to you. Will you be content with that?" Ending somewhat timidly, she lifted her eyes again and encountered a strange expression in the mesmerizing hazel. Waiting for an answer, she searched his eyes expectantly… was that a yes or a no? She faltered and tried to distract herself from her anxiety, reminding herself that he needed to choose her - all of her. She ought not to force him.

"If not I understand." She added, remembering that his happiness was more important than her own. "I don't want you settling for anything less." He surprised her by slipping one hand around her waist, pulling her towards him. His other hand tilted her chin up until his face was mere inches away from hers. A slight, confident smile curled the corners of his lips.

"I will take anything;" He whispered clearly and sincerely, "As long as you love me." It took several moments for his answer to sink in, and gradually Nausicaa felt happiness and relief flooding her soul as she glanced up at him with a smile of pure admiration. Before long she couldn't keep her joy to herself and she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him like she had just received the greatest wish of her life. She bound him so tightly that she was probably hurting him, but she didn't care. Presently she pulled away slightly to whisper into his ear:

"I've never stopped loving you."

He pulled away momentarily, and they exchanged glances. His amber eyes danced in liveliness, as though a warm fire had started deep within. He leaned in to press his lips against hers; Nausicaa received the kiss with delight. For one month she had gone without him - how on earth did she survive? She was in absolute bliss, feeling his lips against hers, his touch and the warmth of his body all around her. She had craved this - craved him for so long… and now that he had arrived, she couldn't quite get enough of him. She returned the kiss with a fiery passion to tell him how much she had missed him. He clearly enjoyed it as much as she did, pressing her body against him as they both reveled in the sensation.

Eventually they stopped and drew away, though he continued to send her small kisses on her lips, cheek, and neck. She seemed to have remembered something, and frowned in thought.

"Wait. Did you fly here?"

"You think I teleported?" The boy returned amusedly.

"In your personal glider or your airship?"

"My own glider, of course. Why?" The girl instantly pictured him lying on the glider, arms outstretched and hands gripping the rails.

"Your arm!" She cried frantically. "You're not supposed to be flying."

"It's fine. It's been almost two months."

"That bullet tore through layers of muscle! It takes longer than two months to grow back. Didn't you feel pain?"

"No." He declared, but she glared at him. "Ok maybe a little." She scowled and sent him a reprimanding look.

"Muscles are finicky; if you don't let it fully heal you will be in constant pain with a long term injury!" She snapped, her voice rising.

"Allright! I'll be careful." The girl sighed for the tenth time that day, her eyes softening.

"This is why I can't leave you."

"I don't have a problem with that." He retorted rebelliously and Nausicaa treated him to a long-suffering smile.

They spent the rest of the day together; Nausicaa was not letting him go so soon. After some discussion, they eventually devised a new plan: they would take turns each weekend flying to each other's countries. At first Nausicaa doubted the practicality of such a solution, but Asbel was determined to try it out. That night a deep feeling of peace and contentment settled over the two of them, and together they embarked on a new journey: two people ruling two countries, but living in one spirit.

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><p><strong>Ok some parts of this chapter were written in a hurry so sorry if the quality is not as good... one of these days I'll go over the last couple chapters again and edit some stuff here and there. <strong>

**So I'm obviously not at the end yet, and school starts soon... Sorry to disappoint anyone, but I didn't want to rush it. Instead i'll just take my time coming up with a fantastic finale...Haven't thought about it enough yet. ;) who knows it might take a couple more chapters haaaa... This thing never ends. :P Cheers everyone and thanks for reading!**


	24. Reading the Wind

**Ok ok don't kill me! I guess I took a year off haha... but I seriously had the hardest time finishing the last scene! I didn't know how to end it. Also I'm probably way too old to still be writing this, but it's just too much fun. I guess I'm just an adult with the dreamy and childish soul of a 12 year old.**

**In any case one of my biggest weaknesses is that I never finish things... And this is something I definitely want to finish. So onwards! Let's give these characters the ending they deserve.**

**Also I read some of my old chapters again and they are so terribly cheesy! I can't believe I wrote those words and I can't believe you readers could manage to take it in.**

**Date: 3/26/15 heh**

**Disclaimers: Not my characters. But I did come up with the scenes and stories entirely on my own!**

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><p><strong>Ch 24 Reading the wind <strong>

"Hi!" Nausicaa chirped excitedly as she hopped off her glider and sprinted right into Asbel's arms. This weekend it was Nausicaa's turn to fly to Asbel… things were going well between them and they had settled into a bit of a routine for the last two months. Typically one would leave on the last day of work, aim to reach the other's country by nightfall, spend the evening and the following day together, and then return home again the morning after. The two days worth of flying were annoying to say the least, but they were content with taking turns, and found this schedule to be a worthy compromise between their busy lives ruling their respective home countries.

"How are you?" Asbel asked, unreservedly giving her the warmest embrace he could give, and overjoyed to see her again.

"Fine. You?"

"Tired, but glad the week is over." Usually the evening consisted of catching up with each other on updates or interesting events in the past week. Occasionally if they were both feeling energetic they would make trips to places; the week before Nausicaa decided to show Asbel a field of glowing Toshigo ferns near the edge of the Jungle.

"What did you do?" Nausicaa inquired, to start the conversation.

"Oh the usual. Meetings and overseeing construction in the city. And worked on fixing an old engine, in my shed."

"You have a shed?" Nausicaa piped. "Can I see it?" Asbel was surprised by her request, but obliged. After dinner he led her through several hallways and stairs, into a relatively large room, big enough to hold a small airship. Spare parts and scraps were clustered into different areas of the garage-looking enclosure. Over to the far left was a large door opened out to a makeshift flying runway on the rooftop.

"Here it is." He announced humbly as he led her inside. "It's not much, but it serves me well…" He trailed off, watching her explore the place in wonder. She came to the engine he mentioned earlier.

"What did it belong to?" She inquired, meticulously observing the piece of metal.

"An older model of a gunship; the design is extremely sturdy and the engine has more power than our gunships today." Nausicaa nodded and continued walking around; he followed silently behind her, slightly nervous at her poking around such a personal room of his. There was nothing too interesting and definitely nothing to hide, but he felt vulnerable just the same, as she absorbed a detailed view of the mechanic side of him for the first time.

"What's this?" She asked sweetly, now directing her attention to a half-assembled plane-like pile of metal.

"Oh. That used to be a one-person airship, but I've been trying to modify the framework to fit two people. That's a project I started a month or two ago… haven't finished it yet."

"Do you plan to finish it?" She cocked her head at it, curiosity piqued.

"Yeah, eventually."

"Can I help you with it?"

"Sure," He shrugged, then smiled. "It's for us anyway." Upon that revelation, a radiant grin spread across her face, reminiscent of a ten-year old girl filled with childlike delight.

"I like it." She enthused, then instantly started picking up various parts to assemble. Asbel looked on in amusement at her instant captivation with his project, then sat down beside her to work on the cockpit while Nausicaa busied herself with the wings. For about twenty minutes they worked side by side, enjoying the evening together over a hobby they both had much passion for. The princess savored each small interaction: from passing metal scraps to each other to the occasional brush of a shoulder. Every once in a while their eyes met in a happy silence, contentment visible in both of their expressions. Asbel chuckled and resumed work; Nausicaa noticed something peculiar about his design and spoke up.

"Why are you putting the Aileron controls there?"

"Because that's where it's supposed to go."

"No, it should go on the left."

"Not on the planes I fly - you should put it on the right." He clearly wouldn't budge on the matter, and they stared at each other for a moment, fully aware that neither of them were willing to give in. Presently Nausicaa grew amused at the situation.

"Somehow _both_ of us have to fly this." She declared, hinting at the need to keep it steerable for each of them (or more specifically, her).

"Are you asking for two steering systems?" Asbel jested, then stopped when he observed the spark of inspiration in her eyes.

"Wait - I was joking." He added in shock.

"Let's do it."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course! Two steering wheels: so if one of us can't steer, we don't have to change seats. Put the controls in the middle." She ended authoritatively, but Asbel remained hesitant. Such spontaneous decisions he feared might not work or may hold major unforeseen drawbacks.

"Are you sure?" He repeated, as he brought the spare steering wheel over.

"Positive." She returned so full of confidence that Asbel almost wanted to believe her. "Now I'm excited!" The girl hopped around the aircraft with the sudden new life of an individual reborn, adjusting gears and adding new handles. With her creativity awakened, her inner mechanic seemingly jolted into life, powered by adventure and invention.

"Has anyone told you how capricious you are?" Her prince teased; she was bouncing around so much that she had already bumped into him a couple times. She simply laughed in response as Asbel stood contentedly by the sidelines. It was exhausting enough just to watch her, and he just might get run over if he tried to help. Two minutes later she had furnished the second steering wheel and rearranged all the buttons in the center.

"Ready to test drive?" Nausicaa chirped energetically, already seated and anxious to ignite the engine.

"If it doesn't fly, I'm blaming you…" Asbel joked as he hopped into his seat.

"It'll fly. I'm starting the engine!"

The aircraft grumbled for several seconds initially, then switched to a low-pitched droning as it warmed up and prepared to take-off. Excitement lit up her face as she released the gears and the plane hovered briefly in the air before zooming off into the coolness of the night.

The aircraft slid smoothly through the skies while the engine purred politely, and Asbel simply sat back and marveled at the Princess's unparalleled flying skills. The girl rode the wind unlike any other: incredible speed without the slightest turbulence. He could feel the plane leaning upon the wind in seamless, frictionless contact. In an instant she located the sweet spot in the air current, and the night breeze supported them in their climb towards the heavens, as though the palm of a hand was lifting them steadily into the sky.

"Nose dive?" She piped up, brimming with energy.

"Go for it." He was more than happy to watch her showcase her best skills. In fact, what followed felt like the most exhilarating ride of his life. The girl switched gears and turned engines, and all of a sudden they were plummeting through the clear skies. As they raced down towards the Toxic Jungle at terminal velocity, the pilot remained unphased by the deadly speed of the aircraft, her nerves of steel allowing her to fully enjoy herself. The descent whizzed by them but the seconds stretched into eternal, timeless moments of awe-instilling silence. Asbel could feel his stomach drop, but gradually lost himself in a trance: as though he had been suspended in perpetual free fall, plunging through the skies without the plane.

About a hundred feet from the tops of the toxic trees she turned on the engines again, timing everything to the perfect millisecond. Her concentration and calmness gave away her years of piloting experience, waiting until the very gut-wrenching end to yank on the levers, and accurately judging the reaction time of the aircraft to pull horizontal. The plane just barely grazed the tops of the trees, and she smiled to herself in satisfaction. Her speed was unhampered in making the sharp turn, and she rounded the curve with such flawless dexterity that Asbel was awestruck.

"It flies brilliantly!" She laughed with absolute ecstasy. "Just the right amount of lift without hindering speed."

Asbel was too amazed to even speak. He had witnessed Nausicaa doing something more than flying: she was chasing the wind, flirting with gravity, jesting with the night breeze, all while taming the air current to remain under her command. How did she just do that?

Even after she gently landed on the flight deck in Pejite, the Prince could hardly step out of his seat. His reflexes were a little sluggish while his mind replayed in a mesmerized fashion the ridiculous flying skills he had just seen. The girl seemed unaware of his inner thoughts however, and bounded out of the cockpit to admire the outer shell of the aircraft.

"Beautiful." She whispered to herself, admiring the flying machine that now shone with a silver glimmer under the magical moonlight.

"Who taught you to fly like that?" He questioned, the wonder evident in his eyes. Looking up, she registered the emotion on his face, and smiled.

"The wind." She answered casually, and returned her attention to the metal bird.

"How?" He pressed.

"It speaks; I simply listen and follow." Her hands, moving in a slightly seductive manner, traced the curvature of the wing. "I can see it through the leaves; feel the outline of the current."

"Seriously?" He replied incredulously.

"Yeah; I know when it wants to change course."

"I don't know how you do it..." He marveled. "I've never seen anyone fly like that." His eyes were fixed on her, and he still seemed unable to absorb everything he had just seen. "You just...became one with the wind."

"It sorta comes naturally." She explained modestly. "That's why they call me the wind-rider."

"So you talk to insects, read people's minds, and can predict the wind. Anything else I should know about you?" He inquired comically, now walking around the nose of the plane towards her.

"Stop it." The young woman replied, slightly embarrassed.

"What's it like?" His voice turned soft in complete intrigue, and she glanced at him with a shy expression. "Being able to sense so much around you." He gradually approached her as she stood silently by the wing. The princess stared deeply into his eyes for a moment, then looked away thoughtfully.

"It's a blessing and a curse." She replied calmly, turning serious and slightly burdened. Asbel became quiet and observant: she looked like she had more to reveal, so he waited patiently for her to continue. She had done it so many times with him that he had learned a thing or two about being a good listener.

"Sometimes it gets overwhelming. When there's too much going on..." She let out a deep exhale, as frustration crept into her voice. A frown now appeared across her face, as she fell into a pensive mood.

"All this - constant noise in my head... everyone with their needs and moods and concerns, thoughts both spoken and unspoken. Sometimes I can't escape it. When it gets too noisy and I can't leave, it drives me insane." She muttered resignedly while a hand gestured nervously toward her head.

"Oh I see..." He answered in a subdued manner, and rather awkwardly. So being absolutely brilliant and talented also had its downsides. Her empathy was so strong that it was not only a gift but also a burden, harboring everyone's emotions in addition to her own.

He observed her meticulously, and noticed that her eyes were somewhat distant, as if her thoughts had drifted into abstract realms. He unobtrusively laid a hand on her arm to call her back to him.

"Hey. You allright?" His voice drifted so gently towards her, and his tone had turned so delicate that Nausicaa's heart was touched. She didn't really expect much emotional understanding from him, as most people could never grasp her talents, much less sympathize with the strain it placed on her mentally and emotionally. Besides, most of her conversations with her guy friends would reach a standstill when it came to deep contemplative reflections. She doubted he even truly understood what she had just told him, but the fact that he tried was enough to make her feel deeply loved by him.

"Yeah... That's the first time I ever told someone."

"Really?" He replied surprised; but felt also honored to have been given a glimpse into her inner consciousness. In fact he found it strange that other's emotions could have such a strong effect on her, but he noticed her feelings of vulnerability and fatigue. In an effort to soothe her, he began tugging the hand farthest from him, turning her body to fully face him. A hand slipped around her waist, pulling her towards him and she could feel his body warmth spreading to her, providing her with a sense of security. It turned into a full embrace, and Asbel gently placed a kiss on her temple.

"What are you sensing now?" He whispered in her ear. The girl smiled and closed her eyes, reveling in the comfort of his arms around her.

"Peace." She sighed, almost inaudibly. Contentment settled in her heart as the man lovingly enveloped her in his arms and held her tighter against him.

"What else?" He prompted softly.

The girl searched to find words: for it was a different, unique feeling. One that radiated from the depths of her soul, warming her from the inside out - with a strength unparalleled, yet a tenderness that made her forget the harshest, most painful parts of life. In the end she settled on one that was undeniable...the force holding them together against all odds, enclosing them in a world of their own.

"Love. The one that I love also loves me back." This time the man nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"Good." They enjoyed the silence for a minute longer, until suddenly Nausicaa snapped her head up at him, as if she remembered something.

"Asbel." She spoke energetically, and he looked at her in confusion.

"What?"

"We forgot to test your steering wheel."

The man uttered a single amused chuckle but his eyes gave away how much he was laughing internally.

* * *

><p>Their weekly visits to each other served as a temporary solution, but it wouldn't hold for the long term. The traveling undoubtedly became too energy-draining for the both of them. After a few months, signs of inconvenience began to resurface, and the couple knew very well that a more permanent solution would have to be implemented. One weekend Asbel showed up in the Valley looking deathly exhausted, shocking Nausicaa into canceling all plans and making him rest in the tower for the evening. He originally objected and claimed he felt fine, but Nausicaa wouldn't budge.<p>

"You look awful!" She exclaimed once they made it to her bedroom. "What did they make you do in Pejite?"

"We're rebuilding the town hall." He sighed. "I never knew there were so many details to discuss."

"You have to get enough rest." She ordered in a motherly tone. "You look like you haven't slept for days."

Fifteen minutes later he was completely asleep, having crashed on the rug in front of the fireplace. Nausicaa had left him for only two minutes to get him a cup of tea, and when she came back he was already gone. After silently putting the mug down, she draped a blanket over him and looked lovingly down at the sleeping figure.

"Have you been pulling all nighters?" She chided him, concerned for his health, and hoped his flight to her didn't drain too much of his already-low levels of energy.

A couple hours later she came back and still found him in his original position: the fact that he hadn't moved an inch told her how much his body needed sleep. She worried that lying there for the entire night would be uncomfortable, as the rug did little to soften the effects of the stone floor. Presently she decided to wake him briefly in order to transport him to her bed. Quietly approached him from behind as he lay on his side, she brought her fingers to his head and tenderly drew soft swirls in his hair to call him out of his deep slumber.

"Asbel." She coaxed, while her lips lovingly placed a gentle kiss on his temple. The boy stirred, then awoke with a slight jerk.

"Huh?" He huffed all of a sudden, although he was far from awake.

"Let's get you to the bed." She whispered. "The floor's too hard."

"Oh." He mumbled, then got up and sleepwalked over to the bed, with Nausicaa aiding him by the arm. He flopped down and resumed snoozing instantly. His endearing behaviors drew a strong motherly sentiment out of her as she tugged the covers over him and placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight." She whispered on oblivious ears. Now that she had given him her bed, she took a spot on the couch near him and was likewise quickly asleep.

The weary prince slept for an additional eleven hours; when he finally woke up the next morning Nausicaa had already been awake for some time; she didn't mind staying in the room with him. Asbel gave a lazy stretch, and finally realized he was on her bed. He snapped his head up to find her sitting next to him on the bed, her fingertips almost imperceptibly playing with his messy hair. At the moment she was looking down at him in a motherly fashion, and in a mode of slight possessiveness rested a hand on the shoulder farther from her.

"Hi." She whispered.

"I'm sorry." Was the very first thing he mumbled.

"Don't apologize. You were tired."

"What time is it?"

"Almost noon." He groaned; the day was wasted. They wouldn't be able to go anywhere or do anything special.

"I should have stayed awake, actually spent time with you."

"Nonsense. I'm much happier to see you well rested." Still feeling sleepy, he readjusted his position and curled farther into her. The girl smiled, and lowered herself into the bed, bringing her other arm in to hold him.

"This is good." She sighed, feeling content to be with him.

"Better than whatever plans you had for today?" He mumbled, already falling back asleep.

"Definitely." She replied, as they continued their late morning snooze.

That morning she had pondered all the possible solutions... Move to Pejite? Give up her position? Rule by long distance? The ideas swirled in her head and none of them seemed all too practical. Nevertheless, she loved him with her entire being, and still desperately yearned to give it all up for him. Had it only been a sacrifice of her own comfort, convenience, health - anything for her to bear alone - she would have done it in a heartbeat. The only problem was that her people would suffer with her, and she couldn't leave them when they still needed her. For many years now the Princess had served as a figure of strength, guiding and leading them in the Valley, utilizing the wind and living in harmony with the Toxic Jungle. Either they learn to live without her, or she find another person who could take her place.

At other times she felt incredibly stressed and overworked. Was being in a relationship meant to be this difficult? Every minute, every second seemed to be of utmost importance, never to be wasted... she was strictly monitoring her use of her time, down to the smallest millisecond. And even then she could barely squeeze out enough time for him.  
>There's not enough time!" She snarled in frustration one weekend, when urgent matters with the water system would take away her afternoon with him. Her hands clenched into fists and she tried breathing deeply to calm herself down. It wasn't fair! Why could she not even have time for Asbel on the weekend? Had she not been efficient with her time in the past week? She had already worked non stop during the past few days…and so much that the stress pressured her into an exhausted, frustrated, irritable person. But it apparently still wasn't enough to give her the chance to drop everything on the weekends. For once Asbel's mood was calmer than Nausicaa's, and he wisely analyzed the situation from a different perspective.<p>

"Hey... Life's too short to complain about it. I treasure every moment I have with you."

"I know," the girl responded to his sage words almost begrudgingly. "It just flies by too quickly, and there's always something else on my mind."

"Doing this every week was not meant to stress you out. If you don't have the time, don't try to squeeze it out for me. I'm content with whatever you can give, even if it's just one hour." She sent him a grateful look for his generosity and understanding, but deep inside she still wasn't satisfied with herself. He flew all the way here to be with her, not to be left alone while she attended to matters of the Valley.

"It's really not fair to you." She sighed, and placed a kiss on his cheek before heading out.

* * *

><p>A bit of hope sparked to life the following week. For lately Nausicaa had been busy with a new task: teaching her country the skills of riding the wind on a glider. It was her greatest asset that made her invaluable to the Valley, and it only made sense that she pass her knowledge on to others. When the villagers requested her to teach them how to read the wind, she happily obliged, for she knew she might not always be there to protect her people.<p>

Of course, understanding the wind was not a simple task. Though it always came naturally to Nausicaa, watching the windmills for the strength and direction of the wind was merely the elementary first step. To Nausicaa, the wind had a personality and a shape. Every since her youth, she loved listening to its voice, feeling its mood, coaxing out its secrets when it carried news and visitors. Regardless, introducing the people of the Valley to the wind was truly difficult. How to explain her relationship with an intangible element, known to the world as a force of nature but to her as a childhood friend?

She loved teaching the children, for they were the most receptive to her strange new ideas. Often the fastest learners, the young ones were progressing very well in terms of reading the wind and flying. One girl in particular stood out to her: her name was Tepa. She was a petite, young girl - not more than thirteen or fourteen. But Tepa had an exceptionally bright mind, and was rather gifted in understanding the wind. She reminded Nausicaa of her younger herself in some ways; gentle, observant, and constantly in innocent awe of nature. Today, on a crisp autumn morning, Nausicaa had taken Tepa and a handful of other students to the hills to practice on the gliders. She purposefully chose a gentle slope - one that she used to run upon as a child, with easy liftoff but a small gradient in case of any mishaps.

She watched as the children ran along to catch the wind, eventually leaping up and lifting off into the air. Tepa instinctively waited for the best gusts of wind, and rode into the air at the most opportune moments. Nevertheless her motions seemed timid, like someone unfamiliar with a new piece of equipment.

"Your intuition is good; follow it." Nausicaa encouraged her. The young student nodded with a smile and tried again. This time she launched more confidently, but faltered slightly midair. Nausicaa watched her carefully and quickly diagnosed the problem. When the student landed again Nausicaa helped carry the glider back up the hill.

"Learn to see the wind." The princess counseled while the young girl listened attentively. "You're observant enough to watch the trees. Do you feel it in the air? Now visualize the shape."

After some time Nausicaa decided to hop on the glider with Tepa, to guide her in midair. Nausicaa simply watched and let the pupil launch the aircraft and steer, giving words of encouragement throughout the process. When they were up in the air, Nausicaa pushed the glider even higher into the skies, where the wind was stronger. She felt skies for the best area to understand the wind, where the current was the most visible. Finally as they were soaring through the clearest, calmest part of the evening breeze, Nausicaa pointed and directed Tepa's attention to the side.

"Look... See it carrying us?" The student frowned into the clear blue sky for several seconds before the look of epiphany swept over her expression.

"I can see it!" She exulted. "I can actually see it!"

"Good!" Nausicaa smiled cheerfully.

"Let me try playing with it." Tepa piped up in excitement, and Nausicaa let go of the wheel. For the next few minutes Nausicaa watched as the girl rose higher into the sky, tackling trickier currents and more complicated wind patterns. Without a doubt the child was talented, speedily picking up abstract concepts and gifted in the sight of things unseen. For a moment Nausicaa wondered if the girl might be telepathic as well, and decided to ask about it later.

She gave the rest of the students a similar teaching demonstration, taking them each up to the same windy spot. None of the others seemed to have internalized it as thoroughly and quickly as Tepa did. Did this girl have the potential of being her successor? The concept of having someone take her place was incredibly reassuring to Nausicaa, in the case of unforeseen circumstances that might prevent the Princess from serving her country. But deep within her lay another thought that made her truly happy: she now had a chance of willingly leaving the Valley for Pejite.

* * *

><p>"Asbel, I've been thinking... I'm going to move to Pejite." Nausicaa sat by the windowsill one evening in the Palace, with her back facing him. Her eyes absorbed the night landscape of Pejite before her, illuminated by the moonlight against a strangely beautiful backdrop of dark navy sky. A couple months after meeting Tepa, she had made up her mind to do it. She was going to move to Asbel.<p>

"What?" He asked, stunned.

"I'm needed less and less. The people know how to handle themselves, and the advisors carry out most of the daily jurisdictional tasks. I'm not leaving immediately; maybe in a few years. I'll train someone to act as leader in my place... And when the Valley is ready to live without me, I will move here with you." A worried look crossed his face.

"Have you told anyone yet?"

"No, but I will when I go back." Asbel surprised her with a relieved sigh and a smile.

"Good. I beat you to it."

"What do you mean?" She asked, perplexed.

"I already resigned from my position. I'm going to the Valley with you."

"What?!" She squeaked in surprise, standing up to fully face him. "Are you serious? You can't do that!" A slightly smug expression curled the corner of his lips.

"I can, and I have. I knew you wouldn't let me if you found out. And it looks like you were about to do the same for me, so you already understand my intentions."

"But your people-"

"Can survive without me easier than the Valley can without you. There's Ketcha, my mother, the rest of the royal family, and the mayor. There are enough rulers to govern everything, down to the flowers on the front porch." She simply stared at him for a few seconds, as the information began to sink in, to verify that he wasn't joking.

"You can't give that up - not for me." She declared, her eyes exhibiting worry, while her mind busily rounded up additional implications of his actions.

"One of us was going to have to move - the question was who."

"I would have done it!"

"I know. That's why I had to hurry."

She looked away, but her thoughts continued to harass her. _He was moving to her home - exactly what she was trying to avoid! Why did he have to completely ruin her original plan…_ He noticed her disturbed expression and couldn't decide whether to be concerned or amused.

"Does it bother you that much?"

"I was going to move! And I feel guilty forcing you to leave your home."

"You're not forcing me to do anything. This was my choice."

"What happens to your status?"

"The council will decide if I get to keep my title - which I probably will. As for my tasks, the mayor does most of the work anyway. My role was more of a public figure. "

"You shouldn't throw it away like that." She argued seriously.

"Perhaps. But why would I keep it if I'd only be miserable without you? I would give up all the kings titles on this earth if it meant you and I would be happier." The staring contest resumed; Nausicaa considered the reality of Asbel moving to the Valley.

"I don't think I should let you." She uttered plainly and began to pace the floor, while Asbel observed her carefully, increasingly amused at her obstinacy. "You're sacrificing your entire life here, for me." A faint smile appeared on his face, and he found her reaction rather endearing.

"Let me do something for you just once, will you? Please?" When her restlessness bothered him, he caught her in his hands and gently held her shoulders, searching her eyes for acceptance. Their eyes bored into each other; she saw how much he wanted to do it, and he watched her eyes change expression and begin to give in.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Absolutely." Silence passed between them for another short moment.

"You're completely insane." She uttered, although their unspoken dialogue indicated she was conceding.

"It's worth it." He replied with a smile of satisfaction. She lowered her eyes to give it one last thought, and after a few moments of contemplation exhaled a small puff of air. The slight smile on the corner of her lips gave away how happy she actually was. Eventually she gave up trying to keep it in and flashed a gleeful grin, bounced up and down once like an excited child, and threw her arms around him. She moved so quickly that Asbel was a little surprised upon impact but accepted the hug whole-heartedly.

If there was one thing she was good at, it was showing her emotions. She could barely keep in her happiness, and she communicated her gratefulness to him by tightly holding onto him. Her Asbel, her joy and blessing, was coming to her! Of all the things he had done for her, this was by far the greatest - a true demonstration of his devotion to her. How to return the favor other than by earnestly, completely loving him back?

"Thank you." She whispered in his ear, and pressed her lips against his cheek for a sweet kiss.

"You're welcome."

"Does your mother know?" She asked when she finally decided to draw away, though she still didn't let go of his arms.

"Yes. I've been planning on it for a month now." Her heart melted a second time at hearing those words… they apparently had been preparing the same gift for each other this whole time.

"So you're coming home with me tomorrow night." She confirmed, excitement overflowing in her voice and demeanor.

"Yes." He replied, his smile broadening to see her so thrilled.

"With me, to the Valley." The enthusiasm in her voice continued to rise, and she bounced up and down slightly. Her toes did not leave the ground but her heart had reached the skies in gladness.

"This is the first time I've seen you this happy." Asbel noted.

"You think?" She cried. "This is the best news I've heard all month! Oh, this will be so much fun!"

"That makes two of us." He returned cheerfully.

"I still can't believe you're doing this." She declared, and he simply laughed good-naturedly.

"Do you need me to sign a contract?"

"You dare back out on your word?" She now comically assumed the air of a queen. Seeing her mischievous mood, he decided to play along.

"I am the Prince of Pejite. I do not break my promises."

"Swear to it by your sword."

"What? Since when do people swear by their weapons?"

"Oh never mind. I was going to drag you to the Valley anyway if you didn't follow through." He wasn't done playing, however, for a mischievous smirk suddenly appeared on his face. Nausicaa was completely unprepared when the Prince took her face in his hands and planted an exaggerated and deliberately forceful kiss on her lips, until she almost cringed in embarrassment. Though honestly they both pulled away in bashfulness, unable to face each other and chuckling at their own silliness.

"There. That was my royal seal." Asbel declared. The girl laughed at him for coming up with such a strange idea, but in the back of her mind also gave him credit for being bold enough to do it. They finally settled with watching the night landscape side by side, with one arm around the other. The radiant moon seemed to be grinning at them too.

* * *

><p><strong>Ah goodness. That last scene was so hard to end. I swear I sat on this chapter for 2 months BECAUSE of that scene. <strong>

**What the heck this chapter is really long... Guess that's what happens when you mull over it for a whole year. Anyway these were all the scenes I wanted in this chapter. Thanks everyone for reading, and if there are any readers that have been with me since the very beginning, I thank you! This is a fanfic nearing 4 years old, and I hope to finish it soon! The plan is to finish it before graduation in May... We'll see how that goes haha. But I know that if I don't finish it now, I never will. Life will get busier and I will move on to other things. So I will try my best to finish it! **

**Drop a review if you have time! I'm curious to know how many of my old readers are still with me. It's been a while. **


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